Kolkata: Kolkata Police have arrested 13 Trinamool Congress activists and registered three cases in connection with the row over the removal of an illegal billboard from the roof of Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee’s house on Camac Street in Central Kolkata.
The row started on Thursday afternoon and continued that night.
Kolkata Police issued a statement on Friday morning, claiming that there are several non-bailable sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, in the three cases registered in the matter.
Of the three cases registered at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station, one had been filed based on a complaint lodged by a police officer of the same police station, the second based on a complaint by a cop attached to adjacent Park Street Police Station and the third based on a complaint lodged by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
The two cases, filed on the basis of the complaints filed by the officer of Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, name Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee; Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien; and party leaders like Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee, among others.
On the other hand, the third case filed on the basis of the complaint by an officer of Park Street Police Station has been registered against unknown persons.
As per the statement issued by Kolkata Police, on Thursday, the KMC authorities had requested police assistance in writing to remove an illegal hoarding at 9 Camac Street, and accordingly, the cops of Shakespeare Sarani police station reached the spot along with municipal officials.
The city police had claimed that as soon as the police and KMC representatives reached there, many supporters, including those named in the cases, gathered there and prevented the KMC staff and police personnel from entering the premises and obstructed the implementation of government orders.
There were allegations that police officers and municipal workers present were attacked by the agitators, and even a female police officer on duty was beaten, and there were attempts to outrage her modesty.
The police have also accused the protesters of using abusive language and threatening the cops. In the wake of this incident, the process of taking strict legal action against those involved has been initiated, the city police has claimed.
Tension broke out in front of Abhishek Banerjee’s Camac Street office on Thursday afternoon, after the KMC officials, accompanied by Kolkata Police personnel, reached there to remove the illegal billboard.
Banerjee, O’Brien and their other associates blocked the way of the KMC staff and the police personnel, with the Diamond Harbour MP challenging the legal validity of the KMC order for removal of the billboard. Banerjee argued that the notice was invalid because the billboard picture was not attached to the order copy. The KMC officials returned to get a revised order.
They returned soon with the revised order, and this time the police cordoned off the entire area. Thereafter, KMC officials, accompanied by the cops, climbed the stairs to reach the roof of the building to remove the billboard.
Banerjee’s associates tried to block their movement by forming human walls on the staircase. Those blocking the path included some Trinamool women activists.
A scuffle between the police and Trinamool supporters followed. Finally, the police cleared the way for KMC officials to reach the roof, break the billboard and remove it.
(IANS)
