Drawing the attention of the Chief Election Commissioner to the alleged TMC Government’s “bizarre attempt to offer money” to former BJP State president Rahul Sinha “for exchange of help for cow smuggling” across Bengal-Bangladesh border, the BJP on Tuesday demanded transfer of the police commissioner, Kolkata, Rajeev Kumar and arrest of “the delinquent police officials” in the State.
The Election Commission, for its part, called for reports on the alleged “sting operation.
The party said, Sinha refused “the offer” and detained the people who turned out to be police men from Special branch of the state which, it said, runs directly under Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee.
“This clearly appears to be a Government sponsored conspiracy towards a failed sting operation to discredit BJP, their main opposition in the coming election. Apparently this heinous and reckless conspiracy was attempted by the ruling party to divert attention from NARADA scam”, the party said referring to an earlier sting operation which allegedly showed TMC MPs and other functionaries of ruling party accepting bribes .
A delegation, led by senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi , submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner pointing to “ the continuing reprehensible and unethical acts” of the State Government and also sought the barring of tainted TMC functionaries who had figured in the NARADA tapes, from participating in assembly elections “in any manner.” lok Sabha’s ethics committee is currently looking into the alleged involvement of the TMC MPs.
Naqvi was accompanied to the CEC by party leaders including Chandan Mitra, Shyam Jaju, Nirmala Sitharaman, Sudhansu Trivedi, Srikant Shamra, Sambit Patra and Om Pathak.
On the alleged attempt by the Bengal police to implicate the BJP leader, the memorandum said Sinha refused the offer of money and detained them for handing them over to Police. An FIR to this effect was lodged with the local police station at Jorsanko and a complaint was filed with CEO, West Bengal.
The BJP said on investigation the two persons offering bribe were identified as Subasis Roy Chowdhury, ASI of police and Aminul Rahman, Constable from Special Branch of West Bengal Police, “which runs directly under CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and Rajeev Kumar Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.”
Describing Kolkata police commissioner “as an agent of the ruling TMC”, the BJP demanded his transfer. The party alleged that the Commissioner of police was “snooping cop of Kolkata and conducts illegal surveillance & interception on leaders, bureaucrats, journalists, activists under the directions of the Chief Minister.”
In Kolkata also senior BJP leaders met the EC and demanded immediate removal of Kumar. Meanwhile, one of the two erring officials who were on Tuesday grilled for more than an hour said, things would come to light at an appropriate time. “Now Departmental inquiry is on and things will be revealed at an appropriate time,” A. Rehman SB constable who was one of the erring policemen caught said, dropping sufficient hints that he was not acting on his own.