The Kolkata police have booked the West Bengal governor’s OSD, pantry staff and peon for allegedly trying to stop a woman from filing a sexual harassment complaint against the governor, C V Ananda Bose on May 2.
An FIR was filed under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 166 (public servant disobeying law) on May 15 at the Hare Street Police Station, according to sources.
OSD Sandeep Singh Rajput, pantry staff and assistant Kusum Chhetri and peon Sant Lal have been named in the FIR. The police has also recorded the complainant’s statement before a magistrate under CrPC Section 164.
On May 2, the complainant approached a police outpost to file a complaint against the West Bengal governor, alleging she had been “sexually harassed” on two occasions inside Raj Bhavan. These allegations have been dismissed by Raj Bhavan in a statement as an “engineered narrative”.
The complainant has alleged that OSD Sandeep Rajput had asked the supervisor not to go with her when she was meeting the governor. But the governor asked the supervisor to leave midway through the meeting, the complainant has stated.
Complainant’s allegations
While reporting the incident, the complainant alleged that she had been restrained from seeking help and approaching the police.
After she was inappropriately touched by the governor, OSD Rajput along with ADC (aide-de-camp) Manish Joshi brought pantry staff Kusum Chhetri and asked her to calm down. The OSD continuously told her not to speak to anyone about this incident.
Rajput even stopped her from calling her mother. Kusum Chhetri took her phone away as instructed by the OSD. ADC Manish Joshi told her the Raj Bhavan vehicle would drop her home.
The complainant has alleged that those staffers who rushed in and tried to help her were asked to leave the room and she was locked inside. Speaking about the peon, who has also been named in the FIR, the complainant said he had tried to silence me and even shouted at her.
Sources in Raj Bhavan said that the OSD Rajput flew out of Kolkata the day the FIR was lodged. Rajput was chosen by the governor as his OSD along with 14 others who are part of his core team.
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