Lokpal, the anti-corruption watchdog, has dismissed a corruption complaint against rebel Trinamool Congress member of Parliament Arup Chakraborty after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe concluded that the charges were “unsubstantiated”.
The Lok Sabha MP from the Bankura seat, along with 19 other rebel TMC MPs, had merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and extended support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in June this year.
A complaint was received against Chakraborty, following which the Lokpal directed the CBI on November 21, 2025, to look into the allegations. The federal agency filed a preliminary enquiry (PE), a precursor to a formal case, and submitted its report to the Lokpal on August 28.
The CBI examined a total of six allegations against Chakraborty and opined in its report that they “have remained unsubstantiated”.
In its order passed on September 10, a Lokpal bench headed by chairman Justice A M Khanwilkar said: “Nothing more needs to be done in the fact situation of the present case and especially because, it has been noted by the IO (investigating officer) of CBI that the alleged activities were during the period (on or before 2024) when Chakraborty was a Member of Legislative Council and not a Member of Parliament, so as to come within the ambit of Section 14 of the Act of 2013.”
“Accordingly, this complaint is disposed of being devoid of merit,” the Lokpal bench ruled.
