Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 22 OCT: A former BJP woman leader cum social worker, Babli Mukherjee, who reportedly rescued a minor girl from the clutches of a few minor boys, has been arrested for allegedly committing criminal offences while ‘dealing’ with the minors in her custody.
The Kotwali police filed a suo moto case (No. 1037/21 dated 21.10.2021) against her under sections 341/323/354/153A/500/505(1)/509/34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
She was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Krishnagar District Judge’s Court and the magistrate on hearing pleas remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days. The magistrate also asked the police to submit the Case Diary on 26 October before the court.
According to the reports from various sources, the woman leader while returning home from a place found a girl and three boys who were engaged in verbal squabbling at a place in Krishnagar bus stand at around 1.30 am on 21 October. She immediately stopped her vehicle and rushed to them. She chased them and felt that some ‘wrong’ was going to happen with the minor girl. She then brought them to her office and started quizzing.
During interaction, she found that a boy, who preliminarily claimed that the girl was his sister, was basically a ‘lover’ of the girl. Even, the boy hails from ‘other community’ of faith. While interacting with them, the woman leader found some vulgar videos which the minor boy stored in his cell phone.
‘Touched by the incident’, Mrs Mukherjee called the parents of both the minors and informed them about the incident. On the next day, parents of both the minors reached the house of Mrs Mukherjee and talked with her. The both family members agreed not to go to the police station and they wanted to accompany their wards to their homes.
But, the woman leader told them that she would punish them in front of them. She then cut their hair without paying any heed to the repeated requests of their parents.
Mrs Mukherjee was so adamant that she had live-streamed the whole incident through her cell phone. Even some objectionable videos were published in the social media which prompted the Kotwali police to initiate a suo moto case against her, a police officer said.
The police have brought charges for wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, assaulting or criminal forcing to a woman, prompting enmity between two groups of faith, punishment for defamation, intent to incite any class or community persons, insult the modesty of a woman and criminal act.
But it is surprising; the Kotwali police did not file any case against the minors who were found in the bus stand late at night. “Since they were all minors, it may be the case of abduction, selling of the minor girl through touts or sexual crimes. The woman leader has obviously saved the minor girl from all ‘ills’, but she treated them illegally and unlawfully. Being a social worker, she should know about laws. But, police cannot wash their hands by arresting the social worker only,” said a lawyer on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, a group of women and local residents gheraoed the Kotwali police station this evening demanding immediate release of Mrs Mukherjee. They later withdrew their agitation after Kotwali IC Raktim Chatterjee talked with them.
Tags: #KrishnagarBusStand #Minors #CriminalOffences #CutHair #BabliMukherjee
