Sen at the district hospital. A Telegraph picture

Siliguri, July 10: A businessman here has accused an additional superintendent of police of assaulting him in his chamber yesterday.

Humayan Kabir has denied the charge and alleged that Gautam Sen “was misleading his forces”, employed to track down the stolen Travera of the businessman.

“Sen had come to my office in Kalimpong accompanied by a woman tantrik, Chabi Das. Sen went on insisting that the woman knew where the stolen vehicle was. On his insistence, we organised road blockades at various points on June 5 and July 7, but nothing happened,” Kabir told The Telegraph in Kalimpong.

The officer said he then threatened to arrest Sen for confusing his forces. “Far from assaulting him, I offered him tea and biscuits,” said Kabir.

The business community has submitted a written complaint to Rajesh Subarno, the Darjeeling superintendent of police, this evening demanding immediate action against his “obstinate” subordinate.

Sen’s car was stolen on July 4. His driver Rajen Naser was killed on his way back from Gangtok where he had taken some passengers. The murderers had fled with the vehicle.

“My brother lodged a complaint with the Rambhi outpost and the driver’s body was recovered on July 5 near 29th Mile on NH31A,” said Biswajit, Sen’s brother. “On July 8, my brother, out of curiosity, took a Maruti van and went to the Dooars in search of the car and spotted it in Birpara.” Five persons were sitting inside. Sen chased the vehicle but it sped away. The police were informed and Kabir called Sen to his office yesterday, said Biswajit.

“I was asked to sing We Shall Overcome, while he beat me up. All the time he kept abusing me for misleading his forces,” said Sen from his bed at the Siliguri district hospital today.

Pradip Sarkar, the superintendent of the hospital, said there were no external injury marks. “We are conducting all necessary tests to ensure proper treatment,” he said.

The district police chief confirmed that he has received the complaint. “It will be forwarded to the IG (north Bengal) for necessary action,” said Subarno.