Kolkata: A complaint has reportedly been filed with the West Bengal Home Secretary against IPS officer Bushra Bano over the manner in which she addressed viewers in an official video statement, with the complainant objecting to her use of religious greetings and expressions.
The complaint, filed by the Hindu Legal Fund, reportedly raises objections to Bano beginning the video with “Assalamualaikum”, using “Inshallah” during her remarks and signing off with “Jazakallah”. The complainant has questioned whether a serving police officer, while communicating in an official capacity, should use religious expressions in a public statement.
The matter has drawn attention because Bano is a serving IPS officer of the 2021 batch. She was recently promoted as Additional Superintendent of Police, Kharagpur, in West Midnapore, after earlier serving as ASP in Hooghly Rural.
Complaint Questions Official Communication
According to the complaint, Bano was seen in police uniform while delivering a statement to news outlet Sudarshan News. The complainant has argued that officers representing the state are expected to maintain religious neutrality while making official public communications.
The complaint specifically highlights the use of “Assalamualaikum”, “Inshallah” and “Jazakallah”, and objects to the absence of expressions such as “Vande Mataram” or “Jai Hind”.
The complaint seeks appropriate review and action from the West Bengal Home Department. However, the allegations raised in the complaint do not by themselves establish any violation, and it remains for the competent authorities to examine the matter and decide whether any action is warranted.
Who Is IPS Officer Bushra Bano?
The controversy comes against the backdrop of Bano's unusual journey into the civil services. Born in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj district, Bano pursued higher education at Aligarh Muslim University and went on to obtain advanced qualifications, including a PhD in Management. She also cleared NET-JRF.
Before entering the civil services, she had worked in different professional roles. Reports on her career say she also worked as an assistant professor in Saudi Arabia before deciding to return to India and pursue her ambition of joining the country's civil services.
Her husband reportedly supported the decision and returned to India with her and their children.
Cleared UPSC Twice, Became IPS Officer
Bano's UPSC journey was marked by repeated attempts and changing professional responsibilities. She first cleared the Civil Services Examination in 2018, securing the 277th rank and being allotted the Indian Railway Traffic Service.
At the time of her UPSC interview, she was pregnant with her second child. She subsequently appeared for the examination again and secured the 234th rank, earning selection to the Indian Police Service.
She was allotted the West Bengal cadre as a 2021-batch IPS officer. Before joining the police service, she also served as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad.
From SDM To Senior Police Posting
Bano's administrative career has included assignments in both civil administration and policing. During her stint as SDM in Firozabad, she handled law-and-order and administrative responsibilities before moving into the IPS.
She later served as an ASP in Hooghly Rural. In June 2026, she was among the West Bengal IPS officers promoted to the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police and was posted as Addl SP, Kharagpur, Paschim Medinipur.
The officer has also recently been quoted by media reports in connection with police investigations in Kharagpur, including the death of an IIT Kharagpur assistant professor.
Complaint Puts Focus On Personal Faith And Official Conduct
The complaint against Bano has now brought renewed attention to the question of how serving government officials should balance personal expressions of faith with the expectations attached to official communication.
For now, the allegations remain part of the complaint filed before the West Bengal authorities. No finding of misconduct has been established merely by the filing of the complaint, and any further action will depend on the response and assessment of the competent authorities.
