Arabul Islam & Debjani Dey

Police have slapped defamation and other charges on Bhangar Mahavidyalaya teacher Debjani Dey following a complaint by former Trinamul MLA Arabul Islam.

Dey had earlier alleged that college president Arabul had misbehaved with her in the staff room and she got hurt when a gesticulating hand of the leader hit a jug and sent it crashing into her chin.

Arabul had on April 27 lodged a complaint with the Alipore additional chief judicial magistrate’s court, accusing Dey and others of defaming and wrongfully confining him.

“A case has been started against Debjani Dey and others under IPC sections related to defamation, criminal intimidation and wrongful restraint. The court where the complaint was lodged told Bhangar police to treat it like an FIR and start a case against the accused,” said a senior officer of South 24-Parganas police.

Sources said Dey was the only teacher Arabul had named in the complaint.

A lawyer said Dey would have to surrender, as Arabul did in the assault case, to avoid arrest. “She is likely to get bail as the sections slapped on her are bailable.”

The West Bengal College and University Teachers Association has assured Dey of providing all legal help. “We will consult legal experts to find out whether Dey would get bail from the police station or have to move court for it. We will provide her all legal help. It’s unfortunate that an FIR has been lodged against a teacher for no fault of hers,” said Tarun Patra, the general secretary of the association.

Dey, when contacted, said she was yet to hear anything from the police about Arabul’s complaint.

“I have only heard about it from the media. I will talk to my colleagues before deciding my course of action,” she told Metro.

According to Dey, she got hurt on April 24 during an argument between some teachers and Arabul over a college election. The leader later said the teacher had “wagged a finger” at him.

Dey lodged a police complaint against Arabul and son Hakibul, who was allegedly in the room during the argument, after she and other teachers met the governor. The father-son duo were charged with criminal intimidation, outrage of modesty of women, wrongful confinement, hurt and trespassing.

They surrendered in court on April 30 and got bail within minutes.