KOLKATA: The Jangipur police district has not received any formal complaint from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer seeking registration of a first information report (FIR) against a Trinamool Congress legislator in connection with the attack on the Farakka Block Development Officer’s office over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
“We have not received any complaint in this regard till Friday evening,” a police officer at the Jangipur police district said at 8 pm, referring to a reported statement by an election officer on Thursday that the Murshidabad district election officer has been told to lodge an FIR against TMC legislator Monirul Islam over his alleged role in the violence.
Islam has refuted allegations that he led the mob that vandalised the Farakka BDO office. It has been alleged that Islam was seen leading a group of people who later went on a rampage inside the Farakka BDO office on January 14.
Islam, however, has insisted that he was only trying to bring the situation under control.
On January 15, Islam was accused of threatening Election Commission officials involved in the SIR exercise, telling a public meeting that the EC was playing with people and hiding behind security personnel. “We will drag you out even from the hades,” he said.
But as the EC put the spotlight on the lawmaker, Islam sent a letter to the Subdivisional Officer (SDO) of Jangipur saying that his remarks were neither intended to undermine the authority of the EC nor to influence the electoral process.
“There was no mala fide intent, provocation or violation of any statutory provision in my speech. Any interpretation to the contrary would be inadvertent and unintended. I remain fully committed to cooperating with authorities and to abiding by all lawful directions issued by the district administration or the EC,” Islam wrote in his letter.
