IPS Damayanti Sen, Sidelined By Mamata Banerjee Over Park Street Rape, Gets Key Role Under BJP Govt
IPS Damayanti Sen, Sidelined By Mamata Banerjee Over Park Street Rape, Gets Key Role Under BJP Govt Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 11:08
IPS Damayanti Sen, Sidelined By Mamata Banerjee Over Park Street Rape, Gets Key Role Under BJP Govt Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 11:08 IST Soon after the case was cracked, Sen was shifted from Kolkata Police's prestigious Crime Branch department to the Police Training College in Barrackpore. Rapid Read Damayanti Sen is a 1996 batch IPS officer. IPS Damayanti Sen Back In Action: The Suvendu Adhikari-led West Bengal government has brought back senior IPS officer Damayanti Sen, who was sidelined following the high-profile Park Street rape case in 2012 by the Mamata Banerjee-led government, to probe violence committed against women and children in the state. The Chief Minister on Monday announced a commission headed by retired Justice Samapti Chatterjee to investigate alleged atrocities against women and children during the previous TMC regime, with the senior cop as member secretary. The commission, Adhikari said, would examine incidents ranging from Sandeshkhali to Kasba, Bogtui and other cases involving alleged crimes against women and children, including those from SC, ST and minority communities. As per officials, the panel will begin work from June 1 and will also collect complaints directly from police stations and during public hearings.
Who Is Damayanti Sen? Damayanti Sen is a 1996-batch IPS officer and was the first woman officer to become Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Kolkata Police. Known for her strong academic background and investigative skills, Sen came into national focus during the 2012 Park Street rape case in Kolkata. At the time, she led the investigation that eventually established that the assault had taken place, despite political controversy surrounding the case. What’s The Park Street Case? In February 2012, a woman alleged that she was gangraped inside a moving car after leaving a nightclub on Kolkata’s Park Street. The case created a massive political storm after then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described it as a “sajano ghatana" or fabricated incident. The remarks triggered a national uproar. Women’s rights groups protested. Television studios exploded in debate. Editorials questioned the government’s handling of the case. For an administration barely a year into office, the Park Street episode became perhaps the first serious political turbulence confronting Bengal’s new ruler. As public outrage grew, Damayanti Sen and her team investigated the case and tracked down the accused, strengthening the victim’s claims. The findings sat uneasily beside the “fabricated incident" theory dominating public discourse.
The contrast acquired a political life of its own. As criticism mounted over comments made by sections of the ruling establishment, Sen’s investigation increasingly came to be viewed by critics as an uncomfortable reminder that facts had moved in one direction while politics had moved towards another. Soon after the case was cracked, Sen was shifted from Kolkata Police’s prestigious Crime Branch department to the Police Training College in Barrackpore. Officially, it was a routine administrative decision, but critics and opposition parties at the time alleged that she had been sidelined for pursuing an investigation that contradicted the government’s public position. Years Away From Spotlight After the Park Street case, Sen continued to serve in different positions but was rarely given politically sensitive investigations. Though she later returned as Special Commissioner of Kolkata Police, she was seldom entrusted with politically sensitive investigations. In 2022, however, the Calcutta High Court stepped in. Acting suo motu, it entrusted Sen with investigating four rape cases and the widely discussed Rasika Jain death mystery – a move interpreted in bureaucratic circles as judicial confidence in her credibility and investigative skills. But by 2023, she was moved again – this time as ADG (Training) – largely away from public attention.
Political Significance Of Her Return Political observers see Sen’s new appointment as symbolically important. Her return comes under the BJP government led by Suvendu Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee and now one of her strongest political rivals. By placing Sen in a key role investigating crimes against women during the previous regime, the BJP government appears to be revisiting some of the most controversial chapters of the TMC years. For many in Bengal’s political circles, Damayanti Sen’s comeback marks a full-circle moment in a story where policing, politics and power became deeply intertwined. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: May 19, 2026, 11:06 IST News india IPS Damayanti Sen, Sidelined By Mamata Banerjee Over Park Street Rape, Gets Key Role Under BJP Govt Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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