The West Bengal government is preparing to bring in a dedicated law to tackle the rampant menace of extortion across the state, sources confirmed on Thursday. Under the proposed legislation, extortion will be clearly defined as a distinct criminal offence, moving beyond its current treatment as a catch-all provision scattered across various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
According to insiders familiar with the proposal, the new law will lay out explicit penalties for extortionists and, crucially, include provisions to punish police officers who are found aiding or abetting such activities. This marks a significant shift in approach, acknowledging the uncomfortable reality that organised extortion rings often operate with tacit or overt support from elements within law enforcement agencies.
The move comes after years of pressure from civil society groups, political parties, and affected business communities demanding a legal framework that specifically addresses extortion — a crime that has disproportionately impacted small traders, transport operators, construction workers, and market vendors in several districts of West Bengal.
Currently, cases of extortion are typically registered under Section 384 of the IPC (criminal intimidation and extortion) and sometimes under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy). However, legal experts have long argued that these provisions lack the specificity and deterrence needed to tackle organised extortion networks effectively. Sentences are often light, and convictions remain low due to weak investigative frameworks and alleged police collusion.
The proposed legislation is expected to stipulate minimum sentences that cannot be easily reduced through bail or plea bargaining, and it may also introduce special courts to expedite trials in extortion cases. Additionally, the law is likely to create a dedicated helpline and whistleblower protection mechanism for those brave enough to report extortion attempts.
Senior officials in the Home Department have reportedly been consulting with legal experts and retired judges to finalize the draft, which is expected to be tabled in the upcoming legislative session. Opposition parties have generally welcomed the initiative but have questioned whether political will matches the ambition of the proposal, pointing to high-profile cases where alleged extortion rackets were never adequately investigated.
Activists say the inclusion of penal provisions for police personnel is the most critical and novel aspect of the bill, as it directly targets the systemic enablers of the extortion economy.
