On 19th August (Wednesday), a West Bengal court issued an arrest warrant for Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra after she persistently neglected to show up for a hate speech case despite being summoned multiple times. The Krishnanagar court’s third judicial magistrate mandated that the warrant be issued right away and tasked for an execution report be turned in by 28th August. Interestingly, she has been elected from the Krishnanagar constituency.
Moitra failed to show up on Wednesday despite the court’s Tuesday notice for her to appear. Her lawyer argued that she would not be able to comply, claiming that she would likely be heckled outside the court to which the judge responded that she had “no respect for the law.”
The court expressed, “The series of disobedience of the order of this court goes to show the lackadaisical approach of the accused to comply with the court order and accordingly this court is left with no other option but to issue a warrant of arrest against her.”
The charge against Moitra stems from a video message she posted following an event in which women gathered outside the court carrying eggs after learning that she was scheduled to appear. She had told them to wear veils and organise other events.
Six women Ghurni residents filed the complaint, asserting that the statements including those about Tulsi mala offended religious sensitivities. The complainants charged that her comments were offensive to both religions and hurt religious sentiments. The complaint also mentioned statements made on Hindu beliefs, the army and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
#BreakingNews | A Krishnanagar District Court has issued an arrest warrant against TMC MP Mahua Moitra after she failed to appear in person as directed in a complaint case filed by six women residents of Ghurni. The complainants have alleged that certain remarks attributed to… pic.twitter.com/Bfsne69aiO
— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 19, 2026
The parliamentarian has been booked under sections 79 (insulting modesty of woman), section 196 (promoting enmity between groups) 299 (outraging religious feelings, 351 (criminal intimidation) and 353(2) (hate speech) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Moitra booked for another hate speech
Notably, Moitra’s appeal against a Calcutta High Court ruling was denied by the Supreme Court earlier this month. She was directed to present herself before the police on 15th August in another hate speech case. A bench comprising of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu stated that they had no intention of interfering with the judgement.
Moitra was represented by senior counsel Gopal Sankarnarayanan, who insisted that she was legally permitted to appear before the police remotely. He submitted that she was first threatened with eggs then they were thrown at her during the second time. However, the court retorted, “You are a Member of Parliament. Having taken the plunge into politics, you fear eggs? When our freedom fighters have taken bullets on their chest? These are applications that should not come before this court at all.”
