News Analysis India

Tag: Kolkata Police

  • Violence during ‘Nabanna Chalo’: Four arrested so far, BJP accuses Mamata government of ‘curbing’ democracy in Bengal

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: At least four people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a police officer and setting a police vehicle on fire in Kolkata during the BJP’s rally, an official said.

    The arrests were made during night-long raids in Beliaghata, Topsia and Bowbazar areas, he said.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Debajit Chattopadhyay was chased and assaulted with sticks by some people in the Bowbazar area during the BJP’s ‘March to Nabanna’ rally on Tuesday.

    A police vehicle was also torched near the Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar.

    “The raids are still going on,” said an officer of Kolkata Police on Wednesday afternoon. The four arrested persons were identified from video clips of the two incidents,” he said.

    They have been booked under sections dealing with attempt to murder, destruction of government property and preventing public servant from performing duty, the officer said.

    Chattopadhyay suffered multiple fractures and is at present undergoing treatment at a hospital, he said.

    BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said the attacks were the handwork of TMC supporters who got into the rally.

    “Our activists are being framed and false charges slapped against them,” he alleged.

    TMC MP Mahua Moitra said what if the West Bengal government follows the Uttar Pradesh “model” and “send bulldozers to homes of BJP workers who destroyed public property”.

    The BJP on Wednesday alleged that West Bengal has become a “lawless” and “bankrupt” state under the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government.

    A day after BJP workers and police clashed after cops prevented them from marching towards the secretariat in the state capital during their protests, the party hit out at Banerjee for inflicting “police torture” on its members to suppress their voice.

    The BJP had launched a protest march against the ruling Trinamool Congress’ alleged corrupt practises.

    Former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Banerjee, saying she speaks of saving democracy outside the state while crossing all limits to curb people’s democratic and civil rights inside Bengal.

    ALSO READ | NCW seeks action against male officers of Kolkata Police who ‘assaulted’ woman BJP leader

    Suggesting that intra-party rivalry within the TMC may be behind the use of force against BJP members, he said the chief minister’s conduct has been “contrary” to her political evolution, noting her rise from the grassroots and long struggle against the earlier Left rule.

    Is the fight for succession going on in the TMC, he asked, hinting about the reported differences between the chief minister and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee without naming the second most powerful leader in the regional party.

    She has now left the Left behind in inflicting atrocities and brutalities on the BJP, he claimed, asserting that the TMC cannot stop his party’s march in the state.

    “Under Mamata Banerjee West Bengal has become a lawless and bankrupt state,” Prasad said.

    Parts of Kolkata and Howrah district turned into a battlefield on Tuesday as BJP supporters clashed with the police while trying to get past barricades erected to prevent them from marching towards the West Bengal secretariat ‘Nabanna’.

    While the BJP alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government does not want to give space to opposition parties, the TMC described the saffron camp workers as “hooligans”.

    At the BJP press conference, Prasad also took aim at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the spree of firing in Begusarai on Tuesday and the comment of the state agriculture minister that his department was full of “thieves” and he was their “sardaar” (leader).

    “What has happened to you Nitish Kumar ji in the company of your new friends,” the Patna Sahib MP said.

    Kumar had recently broken his party Janata Dal (United) ties with the BJP and joined hands the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

    Prasad alleged that the RJD’s foundation is based on “mafia, corrupt people and corruption” and wondered how long the state government will last.

    KOLKATA: At least four people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a police officer and setting a police vehicle on fire in Kolkata during the BJP’s rally, an official said.

    The arrests were made during night-long raids in Beliaghata, Topsia and Bowbazar areas, he said.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Debajit Chattopadhyay was chased and assaulted with sticks by some people in the Bowbazar area during the BJP’s ‘March to Nabanna’ rally on Tuesday.

    A police vehicle was also torched near the Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar.

    “The raids are still going on,” said an officer of Kolkata Police on Wednesday afternoon. The four arrested persons were identified from video clips of the two incidents,” he said.

    They have been booked under sections dealing with attempt to murder, destruction of government property and preventing public servant from performing duty, the officer said.

    Chattopadhyay suffered multiple fractures and is at present undergoing treatment at a hospital, he said.

    BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said the attacks were the handwork of TMC supporters who got into the rally.

    “Our activists are being framed and false charges slapped against them,” he alleged.

    TMC MP Mahua Moitra said what if the West Bengal government follows the Uttar Pradesh “model” and “send bulldozers to homes of BJP workers who destroyed public property”.

    The BJP on Wednesday alleged that West Bengal has become a “lawless” and “bankrupt” state under the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government.

    A day after BJP workers and police clashed after cops prevented them from marching towards the secretariat in the state capital during their protests, the party hit out at Banerjee for inflicting “police torture” on its members to suppress their voice.

    The BJP had launched a protest march against the ruling Trinamool Congress’ alleged corrupt practises.

    Former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Banerjee, saying she speaks of saving democracy outside the state while crossing all limits to curb people’s democratic and civil rights inside Bengal.

    ALSO READ | NCW seeks action against male officers of Kolkata Police who ‘assaulted’ woman BJP leader

    Suggesting that intra-party rivalry within the TMC may be behind the use of force against BJP members, he said the chief minister’s conduct has been “contrary” to her political evolution, noting her rise from the grassroots and long struggle against the earlier Left rule.

    Is the fight for succession going on in the TMC, he asked, hinting about the reported differences between the chief minister and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee without naming the second most powerful leader in the regional party.

    She has now left the Left behind in inflicting atrocities and brutalities on the BJP, he claimed, asserting that the TMC cannot stop his party’s march in the state.

    “Under Mamata Banerjee West Bengal has become a lawless and bankrupt state,” Prasad said.

    Parts of Kolkata and Howrah district turned into a battlefield on Tuesday as BJP supporters clashed with the police while trying to get past barricades erected to prevent them from marching towards the West Bengal secretariat ‘Nabanna’.

    While the BJP alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government does not want to give space to opposition parties, the TMC described the saffron camp workers as “hooligans”.

    At the BJP press conference, Prasad also took aim at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the spree of firing in Begusarai on Tuesday and the comment of the state agriculture minister that his department was full of “thieves” and he was their “sardaar” (leader).

    “What has happened to you Nitish Kumar ji in the company of your new friends,” the Patna Sahib MP said.

    Kumar had recently broken his party Janata Dal (United) ties with the BJP and joined hands the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

    Prasad alleged that the RJD’s foundation is based on “mafia, corrupt people and corruption” and wondered how long the state government will last.

  • Lawyer who filed PILs against Hemant Soren arrested in Kolkata

    By ANI

    KOLKATA: Rajiv Kumar, the lawyer who had filed a PIL against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren over corruption, was arrested by the Kolkata Police Detective Department (DD) on charges of allegedly duping people of money.

    Police said he was picked up from a bar under the Hare Street police station area executing a warrant issued against him by the Jharkhand Police.

    Police claim he was arrested in a cheating case lodged against him in Jharkhand. Police found cash amounting to Rs 50 lakh with him.

    As per information, he had got one PIL filed in Ranchi High Court against one Kolkata-based businessman and was demanding Rs 10 crore to withdraw the PIL. In initial negotiations, he came down to Rs 4 crore and finally to Rs 1 crore. The first instalment of Rs 50 lakh was paid Sunday when he was caught redhanded.

    He had also told the businessman that he had connections with central agencies and would get his house and office raided. It has been learnt that he is the brain behind more than 600 PILs.

    Two PILs were filed against CM Soren. One of them accused Soren of granting himself a mining lease while holding the Mining portfolio. The other stated that Soren was allegedly linked to shell companies and money laundering.

    Meanwhile, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s press advisor Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu is likely to be interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Ranchi zonal office on Monday.

    The ED issued summon to him on July 26 and asked him to appear before the agency for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with illegal mining on Monday.

    In its ongoing extensive operation in Jharkhand, ED has already arrested Pankaj Mishra who is the MLA representative of the Chief Minister in his Assembly Constituency Berhait.

    According to the ED sources, Mishra took Abhishek Prasad’s name during the interrogation and revealed a few key things, following which the ED summoned CM’s press advisor.

    Mishra was arrested on July 19, after almost eight long hours of interrogation. The Special PMLA court had sent him to ED custody twice for six days each.

    Meanwhile, several teams of ED conducted more searches in Sahebganj resulting in the seizure of one inland vessel namely M.V. Infralink-III.

    “In connection with the ongoing investigation in the illegal mining, extortion etc in Jharkhand, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has further seized one inland vessel namely M.V.Infralink- III bearing registration number WB 1809 during a search conducted on July 26,” ED said on Wednesday.

    “The said inland vessel was being operated illegally without having any permit from Sukargarh Ghat, Sahebganj. It was being operated at the behest of Rajesh Yadav aka Dahu Yadav in collusion with Pankaj Mishra and others for transporting illegally mined stone chips/stone boulders,” it added.

    The agency further disclosed that the estimated cost of the vessel would be around Rs 30 crore.

    “This was preceded by freezing of two illegally operated stone crushers of Maa Amba Stone Works operated by Bishnu Yadav and Pavitra Yadav along with the freezing of three HYVA trucks found at MauzaMajhikola, Sahebganj carrying illegally quarried stone chips/boulders without having any mining challans during a search conducted on July 25 by the ED,” it added further.

    KOLKATA: Rajiv Kumar, the lawyer who had filed a PIL against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren over corruption, was arrested by the Kolkata Police Detective Department (DD) on charges of allegedly duping people of money.

    Police said he was picked up from a bar under the Hare Street police station area executing a warrant issued against him by the Jharkhand Police.

    Police claim he was arrested in a cheating case lodged against him in Jharkhand. Police found cash amounting to Rs 50 lakh with him.

    As per information, he had got one PIL filed in Ranchi High Court against one Kolkata-based businessman and was demanding Rs 10 crore to withdraw the PIL. In initial negotiations, he came down to Rs 4 crore and finally to Rs 1 crore. The first instalment of Rs 50 lakh was paid Sunday when he was caught redhanded.

    He had also told the businessman that he had connections with central agencies and would get his house and office raided. It has been learnt that he is the brain behind more than 600 PILs.

    Two PILs were filed against CM Soren. One of them accused Soren of granting himself a mining lease while holding the Mining portfolio. The other stated that Soren was allegedly linked to shell companies and money laundering.

    Meanwhile, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s press advisor Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu is likely to be interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Ranchi zonal office on Monday.

    The ED issued summon to him on July 26 and asked him to appear before the agency for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with illegal mining on Monday.

    In its ongoing extensive operation in Jharkhand, ED has already arrested Pankaj Mishra who is the MLA representative of the Chief Minister in his Assembly Constituency Berhait.

    According to the ED sources, Mishra took Abhishek Prasad’s name during the interrogation and revealed a few key things, following which the ED summoned CM’s press advisor.

    Mishra was arrested on July 19, after almost eight long hours of interrogation. The Special PMLA court had sent him to ED custody twice for six days each.

    Meanwhile, several teams of ED conducted more searches in Sahebganj resulting in the seizure of one inland vessel namely M.V. Infralink-III.

    “In connection with the ongoing investigation in the illegal mining, extortion etc in Jharkhand, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has further seized one inland vessel namely M.V.Infralink- III bearing registration number WB 1809 during a search conducted on July 26,” ED said on Wednesday.

    “The said inland vessel was being operated illegally without having any permit from Sukargarh Ghat, Sahebganj. It was being operated at the behest of Rajesh Yadav aka Dahu Yadav in collusion with Pankaj Mishra and others for transporting illegally mined stone chips/stone boulders,” it added.

    The agency further disclosed that the estimated cost of the vessel would be around Rs 30 crore.

    “This was preceded by freezing of two illegally operated stone crushers of Maa Amba Stone Works operated by Bishnu Yadav and Pavitra Yadav along with the freezing of three HYVA trucks found at MauzaMajhikola, Sahebganj carrying illegally quarried stone chips/boulders without having any mining challans during a search conducted on July 25 by the ED,” it added further.

  • Prophet remarks: Lookout notice issued for Nupur Sharma after she fails to appear before Kolkata Police

    By Online Desk

    KOLKATA: The Kolkata Police on Saturday issued a lookout notice for suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma after she failed to appear before its sleuths fourth time in a row over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad that triggered widespread violence in parts of West Bengal, a senior officer said Saturday.

    She had skipped summons issued by officers of Amherst Street and Narkeldanga police stations, he said.

    “A lookout notice has been issued today after she failed to appear before our officers despite being summoned several times,” the police officer told PTI.

    She was summoned by each of the two police stations twice, he said.

    Amherst Street and Narkeldanga police stations had separately summoned her after FIRs were lodged against her last month, the officer said.

    Sharma had cited apprehensions of a possible assault on her if she visited Kolkata and sought four weeks’ time to appear before the police officers.

    The development came a day after the Supreme Court came down heavily on Sharma for her controversial comments, saying her “loose tongue” has “set the entire country on fire” and that she is “single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country”.

    Refusing to entertain Sharma’s plea for clubbing of FIRs lodged in various states against her for the remark, the bench held that the comment was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda or some nefarious activities.

    “She actually has a loose tongue and has made all kinds of irresponsible statements on TV and set the entire country on fire. Yet, she claims to be a lawyer of 10 years standing. She should have immediately apologised for her comments to the whole country,” the court said.

    Sharma’s remark against the Prophet during a TV debate triggered protests across the country and drew sharp reactions from many Gulf countries.

    The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.

    “These remarks are very disturbing and smack of arrogance. What is her business to make such remarks? These remarks have led to unfortunate incidents in the country. These people are not religious. They do not have respect for other religions. These remarks were made for cheap publicity or political agenda or some other nefarious activities”, the bench said.

    The court’s observations against the suspended BJP leader come in the backdrop of the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur by two men, who had posted videos online, claiming that they were avenging an insult to Islam.

    While refusing to entertain Sharma’s plea for clubbing of FIRs, a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala allowed her to withdraw the plea.

    ALSO READ | Ruckus in Odisha Assembly as Congress, BJP attack each other over Nupur Sharma remark

    “She has a threat or she has become a security threat? The way she has ignited emotions across the country… this lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” the bench said when Sharma’s lawyer Maninder Singh pointed out that she was facing threats to life.

    The bench further said,”the way she ignited emotions across the country has led to unfortunate incidents. This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country. We saw the debate”.

    After the court’s unsparing criticism of Sharma, the Congress said the Supreme Court has rightly called out Sharma for being responsible for igniting emotions across the country with her remark against the Prophet, and that the ruling party should hang its head in shame.

    In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the court has made crucial and far-reaching observations and strengthened the party’s resolve to fight “destructively divisive ideologies”.

    “These remarks by the Supreme Court, which resonate with the entire country, should make the party in power hang its head in shame,” he added.

    AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi demanded the immediate arrest of Sharma and said rule of law should prevail.

    Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Sharma, said she had indeed apologised for her remarks and there are several judgments that say there cannot be two FIRs for the same incident.

    The bench said,”her apology came too late and that too conditionally saying if religious sentiments are hurt and so on. She should have been on TV immediately and apologised to the nation”.

    The court said her petition smacks of arrogance and that she thinks that the magistrate of the country is too small for her.

    “When an FIR is registered and you are not arrested, this shows your clout. She thinks she thinks she has the power to back up and goes on to make irresponsible statements”, the bench said.

    Singh said Sharma was a spokesperson of a political party and her unintentional comments were in relation to a debate.

    “If you are a spokesperson of a party, it is not a license to say things like this,” the bench said, adding, “if there was a misuse of the debate, the first thing she should have done was to file an FIR against the anchor”.

    Singh said she had reacted to the debate initiated by other debators and pointed to the transcript of the debate.

    He said that there were serious debates on the issue within the same community and Sharma’s remarks were made in that context only.

    ALSO READ | If law does not act against Nupur Sharma, wrong message would be sent out: Left parties

    The bench said, “what was the TV debate for? Was it to fan an agenda and why did they choose a sub-judice topic? What is the business of the TV channel to discuss the matter which is sub-judice, except to promote an agenda?” Referring to various apex court verdicts, Singh said there cannot be a second FIR on the same cause of action.

    Justice Kant said she has remedy before the high court and can very well approach it, if there is a second FIR.

    Singh then referred to the Arnab Goswami case of 2020 and TT Antony case of 2001, and said the law has been laid down by the apex court that multiple FIR on the same configuration can be clubbed and there can be no second FIR on the same cause.

    The bench said,”the case of a journalist expressing his right on a particular issue is on a different pedestal from a spokesperson of a political party who is lambasting others with irresponsible statements without thinking of the consequences”.

    Justice Kant said, “Yes. In a democracy everyone has the right to speak. In a democracy grass has the right to grow and donkeys have the right to eat”.

    Singh said she has joined the investigation being conducted by the Delhi Police and not running away and multiple FIRs are lodged against her in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Nagpur to Jammu and Kashmir for the same cause of action.

    The bench said, “what has happened in the investigation so far? What has Delhi Police done so far? Don’t make us open our mouth? They must have put a red carpet for you.”

    Observing that in this case a special treatment was meted out to an individual, the bench said when an FIR is registered against someone he is arrested but Sharma was not arrested.

    After the hearing which lasted for nearly 30 minutes, the bench said it is not convinced with her bonafide and the conscience of the court is not satisfied and refused to entertain the petition saying “you avail other remedies”.

    The Left parties also hit out at the government over the Supreme Court’s observations.

    “We hope that beyond words, if according to the Supreme Court, Ms Sharma is responsible for starting the hate spiral & most recent reprehensible cycle of violence, she will be proceeded upon as per law,” CPI general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet.

    “But if the law does not act against her and others like her promoted by the party, who sow discord, separatism and damage India, the wrong message would go out. We would find many more like her mushrooming from the RSS/BJP’s hate factory and on vitriolic TV debates,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Ruling party should hang head in shame: Cong on SC observations against Nupur Sharma

    CPI MP Binoy Viswam tweeted, “Red carpet for Nupur Sarma, prison cells for Teesta and Sreekumar! Comments from Supreme Court should alert Modi Govt. Irresponsibility, driven by bigotry shouldn’t be the hallmark of any spokesperson. Such elements caused Udaipur incident. They should apologise to People & Nation.”

    Meanwhile, a letter petition was filed before Chief Justice N V Ramana seeking withdrawal of adverse remarks made by a Supreme Court bench against Sharma.

    The letter petition said that it be treated as a PIL and the adverse remarks made during the hearing be declared as “uncalled for”.

    The Delhi Police Friday said it had issued a notice to Sharma on June 18 and questioned her the same day for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) KPS Malhotra Friday said a notice under section 41A CrPC (notice of appearance before police officer) was served on Sharma on June 18.

    She joined the investigation and her statement was recorded the same day, he said.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Kolkata: Police arrest anti-Agnipath demonstrators near CM Mamata’s home

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Police on Saturday afternoon clashed with agitating members of the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and All India Democratic Youth Organisation (AIDYO) when they tried to block roads protesting against the Centre’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme in the southern part of the city’s Hazra area, a hundred metres from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence.

    Protesting the scheme, the activists demanded that recruits into India’s armed forces be given permanent jobs rather than be taken in under the “Agnipath” scheme which employs a soldier on a contract for four years.

    A huge police force led by senior officers cleared the area, arresting over 20 activists.

    “We will not allow anyone to disturb the law and order here. We will deal with such kinds of attempts very strictly,” the police officer commanding the deployment said.

    All police stations in the city and the districts of West Bengal have been alerted and asked to keep tight vigil on areas under their jurisdiction to avoid any untoward incident, he said.

    The Centre on Tuesday unveiled ‘Agnipath’ scheme for the recruitment in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, in a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process.

    Protestors continued to target railway properties in Bihar and West Bengal on Saturday to vent their ire against the scheme disrupting train services in the eastern region for the fourth day in a row, while demonstrations were held on roads in Odisha and Jharkhand.

    Job aspirants also did push-ups on a road in Bihar capital Patna and on railway tracks in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas, while one youth ran 60 kilometres in Odisha’s Nabarangpur as marks of their opposition to the ‘Agnipath’ short-term recruitment scheme.

    In Bihar, protestors torched the Taregana railway station in Patna district and a GRP vehicle while several law enforcers were injured in stone-throwing in Jehanabad when a bandh was also called to press for the demand for rollback of the new scheme for recruitment in armed forces.

    ALSO READ | Agnipath: All you need to know about Army recruitment scheme that has India on the boil

    They also exchanged gunshots with GRP personnel, engaged in heavy stone-pelting and beat up journalists covering the clash.

    In Danapur sub-division, bandh supporters vandalised an ambulance and the driver alleged that a patient and attendants inside were also beaten up by the mob.

    The ECR headquarters in Hajipur said that in view of the prevailing situation, 32 trains have been cancelled.

    The railways have suffered massive losses in Bihar during protests in the last three days.

    More than 60 train coaches, 10 engines and some stations have been torched by groups protesting against the introduction of the new recruitment system wherein 75 per cent of jawans will be retired after four years of service, with no pension benefits.

    Bandh supporters had attacked a police outpost in Jehanabad district, leaving several police personnel injured.

    A large police contingent was deployed in front of the state headquarters of the BJP, which has been at the receiving end of the protests, with many of its senior leaders having been physically attacked and its offices in at least three districts being set ablaze since Thursday.

    In West Bengal, train services on the Sealdah-Barrackpore route in North 24 Parganas district were disrupted for around an hour as a group of anti-Agnipath agitators blocked railway tracks and did push-ups.

    Around 20 protesters blocked both up and down lines at a level crossing from around 10 AM thus also affecting vehicular traffic, a spokesperson of the Eastern Railway said.

    The demonstration affected railway services during office hours, and many commuters waiting at Barrackpore station reached the protest site and an altercation ensued with the agitators.

    The police on Saturday afternoon clashed with agitating members of the All India Democratic Students Organisation and All India Democratic Youth Organisation when they tried to block roads near Kolkata’s Hazra area, a hundred metres from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence.

    In Odisha, a job aspirant ran 60 km in Nabarangpur while a large number of agitators sat in dharna near the revenue divisional commissioner’s office in Berhampur in Ganjam district.

    The agitators including many who cleared the physical tests held earlier, raised slogans at Berhampur demanding withdrawal of the ‘Agnipath’ scheme and demanded at least 15 years of service in the Armed Forces instead of four after selection.

    East Coast Railways has cancelled or short terminated several trains passing through Odisha from Visakhapatnam in view of the protests.

    In Jharkhand, demonstrations were held at Dhanbad and Morabadi in Ranchi while security was intensified in the state BJP headquarters with the deployment of RAF personnel, officials said.

  • Vlogger Roddur Roy arrested in Goa for hurling abuses at Mamata, Abhishek over KK’s death

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: A team of the Kolkata Police on Tuesday afternoon arrested vlogger Roddur Roy from Goa on charges of abusing Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, during a Facebook Live session, a senior officer of the force said.

    “He was arrested this afternoon by our officers in Goa. He will be brought to Kolkata on transit remand. Our officers will produce him at a local court there for the remand,” the police officer said.

    An FIR was lodged under various sections of the IPC against the vlogger after a complaint was filed by TMC spokesperson Riju Dutta at Chitpur police station on Saturday.

    Roy, who widely uses expletives in his social media posts, often courting controversies, hurled a barrage of abuses at the chief minister and the Diamond Harbour MP, besides other TMC leaders such as Firhad Hakim and Madan Mitra, blaming the ruling party for the alleged mismanagement at singer KK’s last concert at Nazrul Mancha here.

    The singer had collapsed, shortly after his performance at the auditorium, and was declared ‘brought dead’ by doctors when taken to a hospital.

    Roy’s Facebook Live video has been removed from the social networking site by authorities.

    Meanwhile, BJP leader Anupam Hazra, reacting to the development, sought to know why the police had taken no action against the vlogger when he used foul language for luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore.

    “Now that the chief minister and Abhishek Banerjee were abused, the police swung into action. Why should it be so?” he maintained.

    Incidentally, in April 2012, the Kolkata Police had arrested Jadavpur University Chemistry Professor Ambikesh Mahapatra for allegedly forwarding an email containing a cartoon of the chief minister.

  • KK Death: Kolkata Police chief says no situation where fans were short of space or AC failed during musical soiree

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal said on Friday that there was no situation where attendees were short of space at Nazrul Manch here during singer KK’s performance on Wednesday.

    Goyal said that the police are, however, introducing some measures to prevent overcrowding and to provide emergency medical aid if there is need for it.

    “Overcrowding might e there to some extent, but there was no situation where people were short of space or sweating or having issues with (other) people,” he said.

    He said KK arrived at Nazrul Manch, the venue of his last soiree, at 6.22 pm and went on stage at 7.05 pm.

    “At no point of time was he mobbed, we had sufficient police presence at the place,” he said.

    Goyal said that a police arrangement under an assistant commissioner was in place well before the singer’s arrival.

    He said that though controversy has arisen on how many people were there at the venue, the police have “clear video where you can see people are standing comfortably and dancing.”

    Goyal categorically said that there was no stampede-like situation at any point of time and that when viewed from different angles of video shoots of the programme, there was ample space for the crowd to comfortably watch the performance.

    He said that at no point of time the organisers, artistes, musicians on stage or the crowd told the police that there was anything amiss.

    He said that the exact number of people present could not be ascertained as at various points of time the numbers would have been different.

    He said that there are around 2,500 seats at Nazrul Manch and most of the crowd were standing in front of their own seats.

    “We request that henceforth a medical ambulance be kept with a doctor and hospital should be identified where people can be taken to in case of emergency,” he said.

    Goyal said that it should be ensured that tickets should not be distributed more than the seating capacity of a venue.

    “We are putting a mechanism in place to ensure this process,” he said, adding that organisers would be requested to put up screens outside the base where excess crowd can view the programme.

    Goyal said that an incident of use of a fire extinguisher happened outside the hall and about 150 metres.

    It has been alleged that a fire extinguisher was used to disperse surging crowds trying to force their entry into the hall to attend KK’s performance.

    “There was a small argument between some people who were trying to get to the stage and that is when I think someone used this fire extinguisher,” he said.

    Goyal said that the police intervened and nothing serious took place.

    “They separated the people and the situation was brought under control almost immediately,” he said.

    The police commissioner said that the air-conditioning of the hall was functioning as per information from the authorities running the hall, negating allegations from certain sections that it was not working properly.

  • Woman journalist molested in south Kolkata, her friend assaulted

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: A woman journalist was allegedly molested and her friend assaulted by the driver of an app-based cab in south Kolkata’s Behala, police said on Saturday.

    The woman, who works at TV news channel, was returning home from her office in Salt Lake Sector 5 with the friend on a scooter when the incident happened at Satyen Roy Road-James Long Road crossing, they said.

    The cab driver was arrested after she lodged a complaint at the Behala police station, they added.

    The woman alleged that the cab driver was driving recklessly and tried to hit her scooter several times to push her off the road on Thursday night, besides trying to block her way, a police officer said.

    “At the Satyen Roy Road-James Long Road crossing, the woman journalist stopped her scooter and protested,” he said.

    It was at that point of time, the cab driver allegedly assaulted and molested the woman, besides manhandling her friend, the officer added.

    “We arrested the cab driver after the woman provided a photograph of the vehicle. She managed to take the photo when the driver tried to escape,” he said.

  • Three held in connection with threat to ex-Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Kolkata Police sleuths have arrested three persons, including a doctor, for their alleged involvement in sending a death threat to former West Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, a senior officer said on Tuesday.

    Bandyopadhyay had recently received a death threat through a letter sent to his wife.

    Acting on a tip-off, one typist was arrested on Monday from Ballygunge area, who had admitted that he had written the letter using a typewriter, the officer said.

    After getting information from him, the city police sleuths arrested the doctor, who works in a city-based medical college, from Raja Rammohan Sarani and his driver from Manicktala area,he said.

    “The doctor had sent his driver with a draft of the letter to the typist. He has written such letters to several people. It seems that he has a mental disorder. We are probing into the matter,” the officer said.

    Bandyopadhyay, who retired in May, is at present the chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    His wife Sonali Chakrabarty, Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, had received the typed letter.

    “Madam, your husband will be killed. No body can save the life of your husband,” read the letter, dated October 22, a police officer had said.

  • Bhawanipore by-poll: BJP’s Priyanka Tibrewal writes to HC over fear of violence after result declaration

    By ANI

    KOLKATA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Bhawanipore by-poll Priyanka Tibrewal has written to the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court seeking preventive measures in case there is post-poll violence after results are declared on Sunday.

    In the letter, Priyanka Tibrewal has sought strict orders from the Kolkata Police to take all precautionary measures to prevent any kind of violence post declaration of by-election result.

    “I, Priyanka Tibrewal, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the Bhawanipore Assembly constituency is writing to you, requesting you to give a strict order to the Kolkata police forces to take all kinds of precautionary measures so that we do not witness any kind of violence post the by-election results on October 3,” the letter read.

    Referring to incidents of violence that took place in West Bengal following the declaration of result of state assembly polls in May, Priyanka Tibrewal said: “We have clearly witnessed an unprecedented massacre that took place all over Bengal post May 2 which has left the entire nation in shock and has given India– Land of Ahimsa a bad image in the eyes of the world and we are still suffering the aftermath of the heinous crime committed by the miscreants of TMC.”

    “Taking the ghastly scenario into reference, I, as a candidate for this by-election, humbly request you give a strict order to all the government enforcement departments to take extreme precautionary measures so that no innocent life is lost, no sexual crime is committed, no public is left homeless, no incident of arson is recorded and we live in a peaceful environment come what may be the outcome on October 3,” she added.

    The bypoll to the Bhawanipore assembly seat and two other constituencies in West Bengal and one in Odisha was held on September 30 amid tight security and stringent Covid-19 measures.

    Mamata Banerjee had lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in the Nandigram constituency in the assembly elections held earlier this year. The Bhawanipore assembly seat was vacated by the West Bengal Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in May, paving the way for Mamata Banerjee to contest the bypoll.

    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded 41-year-old Priyanka Tibrewal, a lawyer, against the TMC chief. CPI(M) has fielded Srijib Biswas, who is also a lawyer. Congress did not contest the seat.

    Trinamool Congress had registered a landslide victory in assembly polls winning 213 of 294 seats in the West Bengal assembly. The BJP won 77 seats.

  • HC stays proceedings against BJP leader Amit Malviya in case filed by Kolkata Police

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday stayed all proceedings in a case lodged against BJP national convenor for Information and Technology Amit Malviya for “fraudulently” downloading information from Kolkata Police’s website and circulating it till four weeks after the Durga Puja vacation.

    The court said it is of the opinion that a plain reading of the FIR lodged against Malviya does not disclose any ingredients of offences under Sections 153/505(a) (promoting enmity between groups) of the Indian Penal Code and the sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, applied in this case.

    The FIR lodged against Malviya claimed that on June 10, 2020, Malviya has “dishonestly and fraudulently downloaded an information of Kolkata Police department regarding posting of police personnel in different jurisdiction and circulated it in his Twitter handle in a provocative way intending to create unrest/mutiny among different groups of officers and has used electric medium to propagate the same.”

    Justice Kausik Chanda ordered a stay of all further proceedings in the case lodged at the Cyber police station of Kolkata Police and pending before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate till four weeks after the Puja vacation.

    Passing the order, Justice Chanda observed that circulation of the information after downloading the same from the official website of the Kolkata Police Department does not amount to an offence since such information was displayed in public domain by the police department itself.

    Malviya’s lawyer Ayan Bhattacharya submitted before the court that since the petitioner is a national convenor of the Information and Technology wing of a political party rival to the ruling party of West Bengal, the case has been “maliciously” filed against him by the police.