Sandeshkhali sex abuse row: West Bengal police arrest fact-finding panel members
West Bengal sex abuse row: Fact-finding committee members en route Sandeshkhali arrested
West Bengal police on Sunday (Feb 25) arrested six members of an ‘independent’ fact-finding committee in Bhojerhat while they were headed to visit the unrest-hit Sandeshkhali region to meet local residents.
Following the arrest, the fact-finding team called on the Governor and expressed their strong protest against the illegal arrest and intimidation.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose asked for an immediate report from the Director General of Police (DGP).
The panel was led by Justice Narsimha Reddy, Former Chief Justice of Patna High Court with members Charu Bali Khanna, Bhavna Bajaj, OP Vyas, Rajpal Singh, Aparna Banerjee and Bandana Biswas.
After being detained the members of the committee were brought to PHQ Lal Bazaar Kolkata.
"We were requesting them to not cross from here, but they were trying to break the police barricade unlawfully. So, we had to arrest them under Preventive Sections," said Saikat Ghosh, Deputy Commissioner, Bhangar Division, Kolkata Police.
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"If there is information of a 'breach of peace', police can arrest them under preventive sections," he added.
Also read: Sandeshkhali sex abuse row: TMC leaders tortured tribals, snatched MNREGA wages, reveals NCST probe
The members of the fact-finding committee were halted by the police at Bhojerhat, South 24 Parganas, while they were on their way to the trouble-hit Sandeshkhali area in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas to probe the alleged incidents of atrocities on women.
Charu Wali Khanna, a member of the Fact-Finding Committee, expressing her dissatisfaction said, "We were visiting Sandeshkhali, but they have stopped us... Police have purposely stopped us and are creating problems for the common people. Police are not letting us meet the victims of Sandeshkhali..."
"We are sitting here obediently to oppose as they (police) have stopped us illegally, which is against our rights. We'll complain about it to the Chief Minister, Governor, Union Home Minister, and even to the Prime Minister," said another member of the Fact-Finding Committee, OP Vyas.
He further lashed out at the state government saying, "Unfortunately, police are executing illegal orders and taking the law into their own hands. We want to meet victims of Sandeshkhali."
Earlier, West Bengal Irrigation Minister Partha Bhowmick after an interaction with locals of Sandeshkhali said that not even a single woman raised the issue of assault.
'TMC in denial mode', says state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar
West Bengal Opposition leader and state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, while responding to Bhowmick's statement said, "The TMC has been in denial mode since the beginning... But later, the police of the TMC government recorded the statement of two women under section 164 in front of the magistrate. Why was the action under 164 was carried out if there was no rape?"
He further hit out at the state government, saying, "Either Partha Bhowmik is lying or Mamata Banerjee and her police are lying... The case should be given to national investigation agencies otherwise the police will suppress the matter..."
(With inputs from agencies)