BJP to move court against TMC leaders on morphed photo issue

The BJP's West Bengal unit on Wednesday warned of legal action against Trinamool Congress spokesperson Derek O'brien and other party leaders on charge of morphing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph as, the opposition party said, the police were not taking action.

"We won't go to Lalbazar (Kolkata Police headquarters) again. We're taking the matter to court. The case will be filed by the end of this week or beginning of next week," state Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar said.

He said the party had received a reply from police headquarters that "legal opinion is being obtained" with regard to the BJP's April 24 allegation about the Trinamool MP using a morphed photo of Modi.

Majumdar said the letter signed by incharge of cyber crime cell did not give details.

Alleging that the police were deliberately going slow on the case because of the involvement of ruling party leaders, Majumdar said: "Did they take any legal opinion before arresting Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra for forwarding online cartoons of the chief minister?"

The BJP complaint also refers to Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee and its all-India general secretary Subrata Bakshi.

The morphed photo was one of several photos displayed by Trinamool's Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien on April 23 in an attempt to prove close links between Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and BJP leaders.

The BJP later showed the "real picture" showing the home minister offering sweets to Modi.

The Trinamool later admitted the picture was photoshopped and removed it from the party's website.

O'Brien, too, admitted it was a "mistake" and sought to "end the chapter".

--IANS

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