Kolkata:
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former MP Dilip Ghosh has lodged a formal complaint with Kolkata Police’s cybercrime unit, alleging a deliberate digital conspiracy to malign his public image. Ghosh has accused unknown individuals of circulating a morphed intimate video and other defamatory content online in what he termed an orchestrated attempt to tarnish his political reputation.
In a signed letter dated 25 July and submitted to the office of the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Ghosh described the campaign as a “serious conspiracy being orchestrated against me through social media and digital platforms.” He urged authorities to take swift and decisive action.
The complaint, filed at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Lalbazar, the headquarters of Kolkata Police, includes a list of URLs and web links that, according to Ghosh, are being used to distribute doctored content. Among them is an alleged intimate video featuring a person who, the complainant claims, is falsely portrayed as Ghosh.
“A deliberate attempt is being made to damage my reputation using social media. This is part of a wider conspiracy. Police must expose the culprits behind the circulation of the video,” Ghosh wrote in his complaint. Several still images and video clips, reportedly showing him in a private setting, have recently surfaced on social media platforms. However, The Statesman has not independently verified the authenticity of these materials.
Ghosh, who has previously served as the West Bengal BJP President and National Vice President, dismissed the content as fabricated and politically motivated. His close associates echoed this view, stating that the man seen in the video is not Ghosh and suggesting that the visuals have been manipulated to discredit him.
“This is a clear attempt to malign my public image and political career,” Ghosh reiterated in his statement. “I therefore request your good office to kindly initiate a thorough investigation, identify the source and persons behind this conspiracy, and take appropriate legal action against all those involved as per law.”
Sources in Kolkata Police confirmed receipt of the complaint. “We have begun a preliminary assessment of the digital evidence submitted. No official FIR has been registered yet, as we are in the process of verifying the authenticity of the material,” a senior officer stated on condition of anonymity.
The complaint has also been marked to the Director General of Police, West Bengal, and the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, indicating the gravity of the allegations and the need for coordinated action across departments.
The incident has sparked political debate, especially as it comes amid ongoing speculation about Ghosh’s standing within the BJP. Some reports had earlier suggested a possible transfer or sidelining of the veteran leader, but the current controversy has once again brought him into the spotlight.
Sukanta Majumdar, former president of the state BJP, when asked about the video, said, “I have not seen this video. I am not interested either. However, in today’s technological era, one should not talk too much about any video. Nobody has the right to peep into others’ personal life.”
This incident highlights the growing abuse of digital platforms for political mudslinging in West Bengal, according to observers, even though the BJP leadership has not released an official statement. Whether a formal cyber investigation is initiated and the potential consequences for the state's online political discourse will be decided in the next few days.
