E-Paper
Bengal governor, accused of molestation, to show CCTV clips to citizens
The Bengal Raj Bhavan said Governor CV Ananda Bose has launched a program Sach Ke Saamne in the background of the mischievous and fabricated allegations by the police that Raj Bhavan is not sharing the CCTV footage of the incident
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who has been accused of molesting an office employee, has decided to air the relevant CCTV footage to 100 citizens, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee or the police excluded, inside Raj Bhavan premises on Thursday.
“Governor CV Ananda Bose has launched a program Sach Ke Saamne in the background of the mischievous and fabricated allegations by the police that Raj Bhavan is not sharing the CCTV footage of an incident which is under the illegal and unconstitutional investigation of the police,” the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata posted on X handle on Wednesday.
On May 2, Bose was accused by a temporary employee of Raj Bhavan of molestation on two occasions. The next day Kolkata Police set up an enquiry team to probe the allegations. Police said that they sought CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan and also planned to speak to some Raj Bhavan staff.
On May 5, Bose asked the staff at Raj Bhavan to ignore the police inquiry citing Article 361 of the Constitution which says that no criminal proceedings can be initiated against the President and the governor of a state as long as they are in office.
“In the circumstances, all staff/ employees including part-time, temporary, DRW (Daily Rated Workers) or those engaged in Raj Bhavan in any manner are hereby directed to ignore any communication from the police in this respect and refrain from giving any statement online, offline, in person, over phone or in any other manner,” Bose told the Raj Bhavan staff in a letter which was uploaded on social media.
On Wednesday’s post on X handle the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor has decided that the CCTV footage can be seen by any citizen of West Bengal – except Mamata Banerjee and the police.
The post also said that anyone who wants to see the footage can send a mail to Raj Bhavan and that the first 100 to do so would be invited for the screening at 11.30am on Thursday inside Raj Bhavan.
“A young woman has lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against him. As per the present law of India any such complaint by a woman will be prima facie accepted as true unless proven otherwise. The Governor is denying that natural course of justice by virtue of his post. He is blocking the investigation and creating a wall,” said Jay Prakash Majumdar, TMC state vice president and spokesperson.
“None could imagine that the TMC could stoop to such levels. This is totally a conspiracy and a planted story. They have done the same thing in Sandeshkhali also,” said Rahul Sinha, a BJP leader.
