IPS officer Damayanti Sen, known for probing the Park Street case 14 years ago, is back in focus. Once sidelined under Mamata Banerjee’s government, she now holds a key role in a women’s crime panel under Suvendu Adhikari. Is this a comeback or a sign of deeper political shifts?
IPS Damayanti Sen: A new decision in West Bengal's politics and police department has brought old wounds and controversies right back to the surface. The state's new Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, has made a move that has surprised everyone. Damayanti Sen, the firebrand 1996-batch IPS officer, is making a historic comeback to the mainstream. She was sidelined for the last 14 years after investigating the infamous 2012 'Park Street Gangrape Case' and facing the wrath of the then Mamata Banerjee government. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has now given her the most crucial role of Member Secretary in a powerful, high-profile committee formed to prevent and investigate violence against women and children in the state.
That Horrific Night and Mamata Banerjee's 'Fabricated' Claim
This story begins on the cold night of February 6, 2012. A woman named Suzette Jordan was gang-raped in a moving car after leaving a nightclub in Kolkata's posh Park Street area. This incident happened just as Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) government had come to power. With questions being raised about the state's law and order, then-Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly dismissed the heinous crime as a "sajano ghotona" – a 'fabricated story' designed to tarnish her government's image. The Chief Minister's statement put unspoken pressure on the entire police force, but the case was in the hands of a woman who was not one to back down.
Related Articles
The Price of Truth and the 'Punishment' Transfer from Lalbazar to Barrackpore
Damayanti Sen, who holds the distinction of being the first woman Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) in Kolkata Police history, set an example of professional integrity. She ignored the political statement of the then Chief Minister. Working with her team, she not only tracked down the criminals within days but also presented irrefutable evidence in court, proving that the gangrape was not a fabricated story but a bitter and terrifying reality. However, Damayanti Sen paid a heavy administrative price for standing by the truth. Soon after the case was solved, Mamata Banerjee had her transferred from the Kolkata Police headquarters (Lalbazar) to a much less significant 'side post' at the Barrackpore Commissionerate. After that, throughout the TMC's tenure, she was deliberately not assigned any major case investigations.
ALSO READ: Suvendu Adhikari PA murder: 'Main shooter' Rajkumar arrested by CBI
'A New Era of Justice' from June 1: Suvendu Govt's Masterstroke
Recognizing Damayanti Sen's capabilities, the Suvendu Adhikari government has now brought her back with full honours. This new special committee, chaired by retired Justice Samapti Chatterjee, will take direct action on complaints from women and children at police stations and will function much like a public hearing. The committee is set to officially start its work on the ground from June 1, and Damayanti Sen has already begun gathering relevant data and evidence on a war footing. Political analysts believe that by giving Sen this responsibility, Suvendu Adhikari has not only prioritized women's safety but has also sent a strong message to the previous government: in his administration, officers who stand for the truth will be celebrated, not suppressed.
