Kolkata: Three FIRs have been filed over the unrest linked to the removal of a billboard from Trinamool national general secretary and Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street. A total of 13 people have been arrested. All have been sent to judicial custody till Sept 3.Besides Abhishek being named in two of these FIRs, the FIRs include the names of Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien and Trinamool seniors Baishwanar Chattopadhyay and Humayun Kabir.Cases have been registered against them under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita leading to rioting, rioting with deadly weapon, unlawful assembly, voluntary hurt, theft, intimidation and deterring a public servant from carrying out his duty.Reacting to the Camac Street episode and the subsequent arrests, Trinamool Congress chief and former CM Mamata Banerjee asked if the final aim was to loot the party office. She also dared the police to take action against BJP flags and festoons in a similar manner. “’Why did you come to our office armed with gas cutters? Previously, too, you had taken away so many things from the office. Why did you come? Was it for the purpose of loot?” asked Banerjee while addressing the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day Rally on Friday.Banerjee added, “The area in front of my house is covered with BJP posters — can you remove them? The moment police see the BJP, their power becomes 50 inches.”All three cases have been lodged at Shakespeare Sarani PS. One complaint was filed by a civic official, while another by a sergeant of Park Street PS. The allegations say govt officials were obstructed and assaulted while carrying out work at Abhishek’s office. A case has also been registered over the harassment of woman police personnel and an alleged attempt to outrage their modesty.Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said, “Police work was obstructed. We are examining what happened. Cooperation was sought but not received. Action will be taken against those responsible after reviewing video footage.”The first FIR, filed by KMC deputy manager Sudip Kumar Basu, alleges that TMC netas and supporters formed an unlawful assembly, physically assaulted civic and police personnel, snatched KMC tools, and obstructed public servants from executing official duties.The second FIR, lodged by Park Street sergeant Sujit Kumar Mondal, details how an unruly mob obstructed officers on a staircase, forcefully snatched a police walkie-talkie, and assaulted officers attempting to detain a suspect, injuring sergeant Mondal and constable Amitabh Saha.The third FIR names Banerjee, O’Brien, and Chattopadhyay for assaulting officials and invokes BNS Section 74, alleging criminal force was used to harass and outrage the modesty of female police officers alongside threats of false legal implications.Abhishek said the “entire Kolkata Police” was tasked on Thursday to remove the TMC signage. “Yesterday, they unlawfully came to remove the billboards and signboards from our party office. I would tell my friends in the BJP: inflict only as much oppression as you are prepared for us to endure.”Abhishek termed the civic body’s action a “political vendetta”, alleging that CM Suvendu Adhikari was “fearful” of Mamata Banerjee’s party.On Thursday afternoon, workers from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation took down the billboard at his office. Later the same night, a new “All India Trinamool Congress” banner was put up in its place. But by morning, the banner had vanished, deepening the mystery. It is suspected that someone removed it again late in the night.
