E-Paper
Abhishek Banerjee named in FIR over controversial speeches during Bengal polls
The Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate filed the FIR under Section 192 for allegedly provoking unrest with intent to cause a riot.
The Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate on Friday registered a first information report (FIR) against Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee on charges of making provocative remarks in some of his speeches posted on social media during the recent West Bengal assembly elections, a senior police official said, requesting anonymity.
The case was registered at Bidhannagar on Friday on the basis of a complaint filed by Rajib Sarkar, a local resident, who alleged that Banerjee made “unparliamentary, objectionable and inciting” remarks against Union ministers and other parties. The complaint was lodged on May 5 -- a day after West Bengal assembly election results were announced.
The FIR, a copy of which HT has seen, was lodged under sections 192 (wantonly or malignantly giving provocation with the intent to cause a riot), 196 (promotion of enmity, hatred, or ill-will between different groups based on religion, race, language, or community), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 353 (1) (c) (creation, publication, or circulation of false information, rumors, or reports with the intent to promote or incite hatred, animosity, or ill-will between different religious, racial, linguistic, or regional groups or castes) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
He was also booked under sections 123 (2) (any direct or indirect interference or attempt to interfere on the part of the candidate or his agent, or of any other person with the consent of the candidate or his election agent, with the free exercise of any electoral right) and 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with elections on grounds of religion, race, caste, community, or language) of the Representation of the People Act.
No police officer or TMC leader has commented on the FIR yet.
