Kolkata: The Cooch Behar District Police in West Bengal on Friday registered an FIR against the BJP Rajya Sabha member from the state, Nagendra Ray alias Ananta Maharaj reportedly for making derogatory remarks about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
The FIR had been registered against Ray on the basis of a police complaint filed against him by a resident of Cooch Behar district.
Confirming the development, the Cooch Behar District Superintendent of Police, Manish Joshi, said that on August 7, a resident of Ward No. 10 of Cooch Behar Municipality had filed a complaint against Ray. The complaint was made for his comments regarding Netaji and based on that, the police have registered an FIR, Joshi confirmed
The FIR had been registered within 24 hours after the West Bengal government, on Thursday announced the decision to withdraw and annul the ‘Banga Vibhushan’ award conferred upon him on February this year.
Ray’s recent comments on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose sparked controversy as he claimed that Netaji had no role in India’s fight for Independence and also accused the great Indian freedom fighter of misusing the Azad Hind Fauj.
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told media persons that no one will be spared if they make derogatory or unacceptable comments about Netaji and the police would take action against them regardless of political affiliation.
Soon after the Chief Minister’s assurance on this count, two consecutive actions followed in the last 24 hours — the first through the withdrawal and annulment of his ‘Banga Vibhushan’ award on Thursday and then through the registration of the FIR against him.
Incidentally, on Thursday, shortly after the state government announced the withdrawal and annulment of his ‘Banga Vibhushan’ award, Ray issued a video message on the wall of his social media handle apologising for his earlier comments about Netaji.
“With all due respect to Netaji, I sincerely apologise if anyone has been hurt mentally due to some of my unintentional statements about Netaji,” Ray said in his 17-second video.
However, even after that apology message, he could not escape the legal repercussions for his comments with the FIR being registered against him.
(IANS)
