Under fire, Kolkata police get cracking — on social media: 1 arrest, 280 notices

On Monday, the West Bengal police arrested a 23-year-old second-year B.Com student over allegations of sharing a “provocative social media post” against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

According to the police, the student is accused of inciting hatred by “encouraging” people to assassinate the CM. Police said they received a complaint that the student had uploaded three Instagram stories related to the case, allegedly disclosing the victim’s name and identity.

“The accused person also shared two stories against the CM, containing offensive comments and threats to her life,” claimed Kolkata police officials. An investigation into the case is in progress, they said.

Calcutta High Court lawyers take out a protest rally on Monday against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. (Express photo by Partha Paul)

The student was booked under sections that deal with provoking breach of peace, as well as words, gestures and acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman. However, the Taltala Bankshall court granted her bail within hours of the arrest.

In the last 24 hours, Kolkata police have also sent notice to seven SFI-DYFI leaders for questioning over allegations of sharing information related to the case. “I received a call and was asked to appear before the police. I had just forwarded a post with the victim’s name, which I deleted once I got the call,” said a college student who did not wish to be identified.

On Sunday, two doctors — Kunal Sarkar and Subarno Goswami — were summoned by the Kolkata Police over allegations of spreading false information and rumours. Dr Goswami said, “I received a letter from Kolkata cyber police on Sunday. The notice asked me to come at 3 pm, which was not possible for me. The autopsy report that we talked about was confirmed by the father of the victim,” claimed Goswami.

Pulmonologist Dr Raja Dhar also received a notice from the Kolkata police. However, he said he was later told by the police that “my appearance is no longer required and the notice has been retracted”.

TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy too has been served notices twice. Roy on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court, challenging the notice sent to him in connection with a social media post. The Kolkata police had served a notice to the veteran politician on Sunday, asking him to appear before it at 4 pm. The notice was served after the TMC MP demanded that the CBI carry out “custodial interrogation” of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and the former principal of RG Kar medical college and hospital Sandeep Ghosh. He had also questioned why Ghosh has not been arrested so far.

BJP leader and former MP Locket Chatterjee, who was also summoned by the police, said, “I thank the Kolkata police for giving me more willpower to protest against the injustice happening in our state. This is a sign that we are heading in the right direction.”

Asked if the police had also taken action against the former principal of RG Kar, who took the victim’s name in public, a senior officer said they have filed a case and that “no one is above law”.