'Molestation' case against governor: Kolkata police book 3 Raj Bhawan staffers
The complainant, a contractual staffer at Raj Bhawan, alleged that she was detained by staff members after the incident and was pressured to keep quiet on May 2
Kolkata police have registered an FIR against three Raj Bhawan staffers for reportedly detaining and stopping the complainant, who levellled molestation charge against Governor CV Ananda Bose, from leaving the premises.
Those booked have been identified as SS Rajput, an officer on special duty (OSD), Kusum Chetri who was seen carrying a bag in the CCTV footage, and Sant Lal, a peon at the Raj Bhawan. As per ANI report, the trio has been accused of wrongfully restraining the woman staffer after the alleged molestation incident on May 2. They have been charged under Sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 166 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person).
The complainant, a contractual staffer at the Raj Bhawan, alleged that she was detained by staff members after the incident and was pressured to keep quiet on May 2. The alleged victim has already recorded a statement under Section 164 before a magistrate in connection with the matter.
Interestingly, Governor Bose last week launched an initiative enabling any citizen of the state, except Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state police, to access May 2 CCTV footage of the Raj Bhawan on sending him an email or making a call to the governor’s office.
In the over hour-long footage, the woman, dressed in blue jeans and a top, was seen going to the police outpost, with a large number of cops deployed on Raj Bhavan premises for the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi had stayed the night at Raj Bhavan on May 2, before addressing three political rallies in West Bengal on May 3.
A Raj Bhavan official said, “At least 92 people mailed or called us up, expressing their willingness to see the CCTV footage. However, only a few turned up. The intention was to let people judge the incident.”
One of the visitors, who identified himself as Prof Tushar Kanti Mukherjee, said he saw the footage and could not find any “abnormality” in the behaviour of the woman.
