Kolkata: The West Bengal government has filed a case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Koustav Bagchi at the Calcutta City Sessions Court over his alleged statements against chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
According to the court order, a copy of which was seen by HT, Bagchi has “repeatedly made derogatory comments and defamatory statements against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.”
Bagchi, however, argued that whatever he mentioned is from a book written by retired Indian administrative service officer and former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Dipak Ghosh, who died in March this year. “The book is not banned. I mentioned some of its contents. I will prove in court that the charges hold no water,” Bagchi told HT.
The state’s petition was heard earlier this week by the court’s chief judge Sukumar Ray, who passed the order on June 5, saying Bagchi — who is also a Calcutta High Court lawyer — will be heard on June 18.
The public prosecutor told the court that Bagchi made the comments against Banerjee “with the sole intention to traduce her malevolently and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.”
{{/usCountry}}The public prosecutor told the court that Bagchi made the comments against Banerjee “with the sole intention to traduce her malevolently and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.”
{{/usCountry}}Section 356(2) deals with proclaimed offenders who can be tried in absentia.
Also Read: BJP leader moves HC against plan for 100 civic volunteers at new Jagannath temple
The state has also added Section 222(2) of the BNS, which deals with acts of defamation committed against high-ranking public servants such as the President, Vice-President, governors, and Union and state ministers.
“I have carefully perused the petition of the complainant including evidence, documentary and electronic... the complainant, being a public servant, is exempted to be examined on solemn affirmation,” the court order said, referring to videos on YouTube and a Bengali news channel that were produced as evidence.
“...the accused should be given an opportunity of being heard,” the order added.
No TMC leader commented on the case, saying it was an administrative matter.