Mamata cartoon row: 'Cops harass Jadavpur University professor'

Aug 13, 2012, 18:21PM



Kolkata: The West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) on Monday found the state police guilty of harassing Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra and his neighbour Subrata Sengupta. Both were arrested by the West Bengal police for allegedly circulating e-mails of a controversial picture collage of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Railways Minister Mukul Roy in April.

The three-member WBHRC panel recommended the West Bengal government to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to Mahapatra and Sengupta.

The commission also recommended that the state government should initiate departmental proceedings against the guilty police officials.

The commission, in its probe, found Additional Officer in-charge Milan Das and Sub Inspector Sanjay Biswas of the East Jadavpur Police Station guilty of wrongful detention and harassment of Mahapatra and his neighbour.

The commission reached the conclusion after seeking report sought from state government and Kolkata Police.
Police Commissioner RK Pachnanda was also summoned by the commission and questioned in connection with the case.

Both Mahapatra and Sengupta were made to spend the whole night in police lock up following their arrest on April 12 and were produced in court the following day from where they were granted bail.

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