PIL filed in Calcutta HC for Paul's arrest

With the Mamata Banerjee government yet to initiate action against Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul for his rape remarks, a PIL was filed Wednesday seeking penal action.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed before the court of Justice Dipankar Dutta of the Calcutta High Court seeking a direction to the police for initiating criminal proceedings and arrest of Krishnanagar MP Paul.

"He has publicly exhorted his partymen to kill CPI-M activists and rape women. But, still this government has not initiated any action. So, we have pleaded before the court to take cognisance and direct the police to initiate criminal proceedings and arrest Paul," counsel for petitioner Subrata Mukherjee said.

Addressing his party workers in his constituency, Paul was caught on subsequent tapes threatening to gun down CPI-M men and let loose his boys to rape their women. He also asked people to slit the rivals' throats to prove themselves.

"If a CPI-M man dares to touch anybody, I will take out my gun and shoot him...I will destroy his entire clan... I will ask my boys to go there. They will rape them and leave," Paul is seen saying in the first video while addressing partymen in Choumaha village.

Proceeding to Gopinathpur, 10 km from Choumaha, Paul is seen in the second video asking women to slit CPI-M throats and exhorts people to kill their rivals and show him.

"Till I am here, don't spare any CPI-M worker. Our men will kill them. I am also asking the women to slit open CPI-M workers' throats. Use your bontis (sharp vegetable-cutting instrument) to slash their throats. Why haven't you done it till now? Don't you know how to use a knife?

"I will shoot them in front of everyone.... Kill two to four people and show me.... Kill them with an axe and prove yourself. Then I will see...." says Paul in the second video which became public Tuesday when he had tendered an apology for his earlier comments.

There has been countrywide outrage over Paul's remarks with all and sundry seeking his arrest and expulsion from parliament.