KOLKATA: The Kolkata Police have lodged a zero FIR against Bengal governor C V Ananda Bose’s nephew linked to rape and criminal conspiracy allegations levelled against Bose and the nephew by an Odissi dancer, saying she was assaulted in a Delhi hotel in Jan 2023.
The case, based on a complaint filed at Kolkata’s Hare Street police station in Oct last year, has been transferred to the Delhi Police on orders of the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court.
Police declined to comment on the complaint, registered under sections 376 (rape) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), beyond saying that the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court ordered that a zero FIR be filed and the case transferred to Delhi since the alleged assault took place there.
Raj Bhavan is still to respond to the development.
The complainant has alleges that she had approached the governor to help her resolve some issues she had been facing regarding overseas travel for dance performances. Bose, according to her, had promised assistance and had also advised her to approach the Ministry of external affairs (MEA).
The Odissi dancer said she received flight tickets and a hotel booking in Delhi for Jan 5 and 6, 2023, through the governor’s nephew. Bose, who was staying at Delhi’s Banga Bhavan at the time, had allegedly visited her at the hotel and abused her.
She hasn’t explained why she waited 10 months to lodge a complaint, officials said.
On May 2 this year, a Raj Bhavan staffer had also complained that the governor molested her twice (on April 24 and May 2).
In this case, three Raj Bhavan employees, implicated in a different FIR, got bail from a lower court. They have since moved Calcutta HC to quash the criminal charges against them.
Bose cited the apex court’s interpretation of Article 361 in the Rameshwar Prasad case to point out that the governor enjoys complete immunity, even for their personal acts, while in office.
In a statement, he said, “It logically follows that police cannot investigate/inquire into the matter, in any manner, whatsoever. Thus, in view of the immunity enjoyed by the governor, police are constitutionally barred from carrying out any kind of preliminary inquiry or registering an FIR.”
The case, based on a complaint filed at Kolkata’s Hare Street police station in Oct last year, has been transferred to the Delhi Police on orders of the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court.
Police declined to comment on the complaint, registered under sections 376 (rape) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), beyond saying that the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court ordered that a zero FIR be filed and the case transferred to Delhi since the alleged assault took place there.
Raj Bhavan is still to respond to the development.
The complainant has alleges that she had approached the governor to help her resolve some issues she had been facing regarding overseas travel for dance performances. Bose, according to her, had promised assistance and had also advised her to approach the Ministry of external affairs (MEA).
The Odissi dancer said she received flight tickets and a hotel booking in Delhi for Jan 5 and 6, 2023, through the governor’s nephew. Bose, who was staying at Delhi’s Banga Bhavan at the time, had allegedly visited her at the hotel and abused her.
She hasn’t explained why she waited 10 months to lodge a complaint, officials said.
On May 2 this year, a Raj Bhavan staffer had also complained that the governor molested her twice (on April 24 and May 2).
In this case, three Raj Bhavan employees, implicated in a different FIR, got bail from a lower court. They have since moved Calcutta HC to quash the criminal charges against them.
Bose cited the apex court’s interpretation of Article 361 in the Rameshwar Prasad case to point out that the governor enjoys complete immunity, even for their personal acts, while in office.
In a statement, he said, “It logically follows that police cannot investigate/inquire into the matter, in any manner, whatsoever. Thus, in view of the immunity enjoyed by the governor, police are constitutionally barred from carrying out any kind of preliminary inquiry or registering an FIR.”
