'Molestation' case against Governor: Kolkata Police books 3 Raj Bhawan staffers

Kolkata Police registered an FIR against three staffers for detaining and stopping the complainant, who came out with a molestation charge at Governor CV Ananda Bose, from leaving the Raj Bhawan premises.

The FIR named three individuals as accused in the case. They were identified as SS Rajput, an officer on special duty (OSD), Kusum Chetri who was seen in the CCTV footage carrying a bag, and Sant Lal, a peon at the Raj Bhavan.

The trio has been accused of wrongfully restraining the woman Raj Bhawan staffer on May 2 after the alleged molestation incident. They have been charged under IPC sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 166 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person).

The complainant, a contractual staffer at Raj Bhavan, alleged that she was detained by staff members after the incident and was pressured to keep quiet on May 2.

The alleged victim has already recorded a statement under Section 164 before a magistrate in connection with the matter.

Last week, Governor Bose launched an initiative enabling any citizen of the state, with the exceptions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state police, to access the CCTV footage of the incident on sending him an email or making a call to the Raj Bhavan.

"Hon'ble Governor Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose has launched a programme SACH KE SAAMNE in the background of the mischievous and fabricated allegations by the police that Raj Bhavan is not sparing the CCTV footage of an incident which is under the illegal and unconstitutional investigation of the police," read a notice posted on the official X handle of Governor Bose.

"Hon'ble Governor has decided that the CCTV footage can be seen by any citizen of West Bengal except politician Mamata Banerjee and her police for the stand they had taken, which is in the public domain," the post read further.