VIP checking: BJP alleges foul play by Kolkata cops

Amid the controversy over Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife being allegedly detained by the Customs officials for checking at Kolkata's NSCBI Airport recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday alleged an FIR filed by the Customs in the case was not accepted by the Kolkata Police.

While Banerjee has called the allegations baseless, the incident has sparked a stand-off between the central agency and the local police.

Banerjee, a nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also threatened to file criminal and civil defamation suits against the right wing portals carrying the report and opposition leaders tweeting on the issue.

The BJP has also accused the state police of not allowing the Customs authorities to follow the standard operating procedure at the Kolkata airport.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta has alleged two women passengers, Rujira Naroola and Menka Gambhir, possessing Thai passport had arrived at the Kolkata airport on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok in the wee hours of March 16.

"The two women refused to let Customs officials check their check-in baggage. One of them was the wife of Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee. Later, the police intervened and the two left for home," Dasgupta alleged.

"Many standard operating procedures have not been followed. Was it a result of intimidation? The Customs tried to lodge an FIR on March 22 but the police refused to register it. We have not been able to know the reasons behind the police refusing to register the FIR. The CCTV footages of the incident should be made public," Dasgupta said.

He said the Custom's FIR, which was not accepted by the police, suggested that there was "interference, obstruction and criminal intimidation".

"Why were public officials obstructed from carrying out their legitimate duty? I do not get into whether any costumes jewellery or any gold was found from the two passengers or what were the details of their passports," he said.

Dasgupta said a meeting was held between the Customs and police officials on March 16.

Citing a document about the proposal made by the police at the meeting, he said: "The police personnel proposed the preparation of a common SOP (standard operating procedures), which will include easy passage to their VIPs without any interception by the Customs in the green channel.

"They added if there would be any such complaint in future, it would be viewed seriously and severe action will be taken against the Customs officials concerned. What does it mean by free passage to VIPs of the police must be guaranteed? Can the police, a representative of the state, tell another responsible organisation like the Customs that 'there should one set of rules for ordinary passengers and another for designated VIPs.'"

Remarking that a distorted political culture has emerged in West Bengal, Dasgupta said "will there be a special dispensation for members of a family in West Bengal?"

"I ask these larger questions coming out from this incident and I do not want to make any personal attack on anybody. We seek and demand answers from the responsible authority," he said.

Asked whether the party will lodge any complaint before the Election Commission regarding this, Dasgupta said the case should be brought to the notice of the EC.

--IANS

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