KOLKATA: The West Bengal police in the wee hours of Saturday arrested Congress spokesperson Kaustav Bagchi from his North 24 Parganas residence for alleged comments on chief minister Mamata Banerjee.Though police slapped non-bailable charges on Bagchi, the additional chief judicial magistrate of Bankshall court granted him bail after an argument between the public prosecutor and the defence lawyers over the timing of the police action and justification of the arrest.
Reacting to state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury’s comment on TMC’s defeat in the by-election, Bengal CM on March 2 raised questions on the death of Chowdhury’s daughter and driver.Condemning Mamata’s remark, Bagchi, the next day, referred to a book saying the author mentioned the past life of Mamata Banerjee. His comment came a day after TMC’s defeat in Sagardighi by-elections in which Congress-Left Front alliance candidate won. A complaint was lodged against Bagchi with Burtolla police station in north Kolkata. Around 3.30 am on Saturday, a large contingent of police personnel surrounded Bagchi’s house.
Bagchi was booked under the IPC charges of 120B (criminal conspiracy), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (intending to insult the modesty of any woman). In a social media post, TMC spokesperson Kunal ghosh said Bagchi’s comment insulted the CM but the party’s students’ wing and youth wing could have dealt with it.