EC seeks report on Arms Act case against Babul Supriyo

The Election Commission Saturday sought an urgent report from the Burdwan district magistrate following a complaint from the BJP that its candidate for Asansol Lok Sabha constituency Babul Supriyo - a noted Bollywood singer - has been "falsely implicated" in a case under the Arms Act.

"The Election Commission has asked for a report from the DM, Burdwan, on an urgent basis, on the issue after receiving a complaint from the BJP that he has been falsely implicated in a case under the Arms Act," Amit Roy Chowdhury, officer on special duty in the West Bengal chief electoral officer's office, told media persons here.

Supriyo was summoned and grilled by the police after local Trinamool leader Senapati Mandal filed complaints accusing him of several offences including the Arms Act.

Expressing dismay, Supriyo has accused the Trinamool of trying to derail his political campaign by implicating him in false cases.

Incidentally, the case was filed subsequent to the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate lodging a police complaint accusing Mandal and other Trinamool activists of heckling him and assaulting his partymen while campaigning in Raniganj of the district.

Supriyo Thursday appeared before the polcie in relation to the case and was quizzed for over two hours.

The singer was earlier accused of hurting religious sentiments by allegedly entering a temple "drunk". However, the district district administration rejected the complaint. He has threatened to file defamation cases against the complainants seeking Rs.2 crore in damages