Basu backtracks on cops146; removal

A week after announcing the 8220;removal8221; of two police officers who had interfered in the Rizwanur-Priyanka marriage, CPM veteran Jyoti Basu on Friday made it clear that the Government would not take any immediate action against the two officers.

After a brief discussion with CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the party8217;s state headquarters, Basu said the Government has been advised by its top law officer that it could not take action before the report of the inquiry commission comes. 8220;The Advocate General has asked the Government to wait till the judicial commission8217;s report,8221; said Basu, emerging from the routine Friday meeting of the CPM Secretariat. The Chief Minister and the party8217;s state secretary Biman Bose were among those who attended the meeting.

Last Friday, Basu had said Bhattacharjee had told him that two tainted police officers had been 8220;removed8221; for trying to break up the marriage at the behest of Priyanka8217;s father Ashok Todi. Basu had made that statement after the secretariat meeting. But later in the day, the Home Secretary had said no action had been taken. Bhattacharjee had declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Rizwanur8217;s mother Kishwar Jahan has refused to meet Bhattacharjee. The Chief Minister himself revealed this on Friday, calling it his 8220;sheer bad luck8221;. 8220;It was decided that I would meet her at my residence on October 10. I was, however, told on October 9 that she was not coming,8221; Bhattacharjee said.