TMC accuses EC of bias, submits memorandum against transfer of top cops in WB

The Trinamool Congress Wednesday accused the Election Commission of bias and submitted a memorandum to the poll body against transfers of top police officers in West Bengal just before the first phase of voting in the Lok Sabha elections.

Party leaders Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Chandan Mitra lodged a nine-point memorandum protesting what they called was "EC bias".

"People are saying Nirvachan Commission has become Nikamma Commission. Enough is enough. Transfers of good, honest senior police officers of Bengal are being decided by a traitor who now works out of the BJP Central office in Kolkata," said Derek, indicating the hand of former TMC MP Mukul Roy, who is now in the BJP, in the removal of the Cooch Behar Superintendent of Police Abhishek Gupta by the poll body on April 9.

In the memorandum, the TMC has also said the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma along with those of Bidhan Nagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh, Birbhum SP Shyam Singh, Diamond Harbour SP S Selvamurugan and Airport Division DCP Avaru Rabindranath, have been effected "without following proper procedure".

"In this case, we have observed that the transfers were made soon after complaints were made and instructions issued by BJP leaders who publicly claimed" that such action were taken by the ECI at the initiative of their party, the memorandum alleged.

Earlier, in a letter to the chief election commission on Tuesday, the TMC had alleged that Gupta's transfer was "arbitrary, motivated and biased" and claimed the poll body was taking instructions from BJP leaders.