The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday refused to intervene in a petition filed by the ruling Trinamool Congress seeking restraint on the UP IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma.
Justice Krishna Rao of the Calcutta High Court refused to pass any order regarding any officer on election duty till April 29, when the second phase of polling in the Bengal Assembly polls is scheduled, reported ABP Ananda,
Justice Rao also asked the counsel to approach the Election Commission in case of any grievances.
The Trinamool MP and senior advocate Kalyan Bandyopadhyay had sought the intervention of the court accusing the IPS officer, known as an “encounter specialist” in Uttar Pradesh of threatening voters in South 24-Parganas Falta.
“How can he threaten voters? He is an IPS officer. He is trying to influence the voters. They are turning the area into a battle-field. A case should be filed against him in the Supreme Court,” Bandyopadhyay said.
On Tuesday evening, a woman resident of Falta lodged a complaint with the local police station alleging an undisclosed number of central force personnel entered her home late on Monday night and abused and threatened them.
“These men entered our home without any authorisation. They said they had come looking for my husband. Me and my sister-in-law were assaulted and molested by these men,” the complainant alleged. “They threatened if we did not vote for BJP they will return after May4.”
The complainant has alleged earlier in the presence of the UP IPS officer the family was threatened.
“What role he (Sharma) had to play in last night’s incident needs to be probed impartially and thoroughly,” the complainant wrote in her complaint.
Falta and 141 Assembly constituencies in south Bengal, including the 11 seats in the state capital Kolkata, will go to vote on April 29 in the second and final phase.
The arrival of Sharma, additional commissioner of police Prayagraj in Bengal ahead of the second phase of polling has created a stir.
On Sunday, Sharma, sent to Bengal as a police observer, reached Falta where the Trinamool has replaced the sitting MLA with Jahangir Khan, a close aide of the Trinamool national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee.
Khan and his henchmen are accused of threatening voters in Falta, which the Trinamool had won last time by a margin of 40,000-plus votes in 2021.
Except for one seat, Bhangar, the Trinamool had won the other 30 seats in the district last time.
Khan was not present when Sharma reached his residence.
“Tell him, we’ll deal with him properly if his men continue to threaten… don’t cry or regret then,” Sharma had said.
Khan told the media on Tuesday, he was not afraid.
“Around 3 pm yesterday, he came and tried to threaten my security at this party office. Then he went and tried to threaten my family. Is this the duty of a police observer? If he has to say something he should tell the SP or the IC,” Khan said. “There is no rule that says police observer can go and threaten people in their houses. These people are indulging in these illegal acts to aid the BJP. Because they cannot win, they are threatening Trinamool workers and leaders.”
The police observer’s remarks have not gone down well with the Trinamool leadership.
“A word of caution to Yogi’s favourite trigger-happy cowboy: step out of line, take matters into your own hands… and you will pay the price, democratically, but unforgivingly,” the Trinamool wrote on X.
State finance minister and Trinamool nominee from Dum Dum North Chandrima Bhattacharya questioned the reason behind Sharma’s posting as police observer in Bengal.
“In South 24-Parganas, they brought in an individual as an observer, and he is known as the “encounter specialist.” But I don’t understand how and when these encounters happen, and why he has been sent here? What he is doing here is illegal,” the minister said addressing a news conference. “Can any police officer raid a candidate’s house? Can they harass the women present in the house? We want to know what the guidelines are.”
TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra also shared a video of the IPS officer with a dancer. The video has also been doing the rounds since Monday night.
The Kannauj MP and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, preparing to challenge the BJP in Uttar Pradesh when the state goes to polls next year, said zero tolerance should be not only for criminals but also such officers.
“This video has harmed the image of UP’s administration. This also reveals the true mindset of the BJP when it comes to women…Women feel if these are the people entrusted with their security, how safe will they be? Every woman supporter of BJP is ashamed,” said Akhilesh.