CID to initiate probe over Yojesh's 'Rs 11 lakh bounty on Mamata' remark

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will initiate a probe into the "provocative" statement of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Yogesh Varshney announcing Rs 11 lakh bounty for beheading Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Rajesh Kumar, ADG CID, said: "We are starting a case in the state of West Bengal. The probe will be taken up by the CID and law will take its own course." In connection with a religious rally in Suri on Hanuman Jayanti, Yogesh said in an interview to a news agency: "Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand... Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human? If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh."

Sources said that the police will probe to find whether the statement was made just to gain publicity or there is some hidden motive behind it. The police will investigate to know Yogesh's "background" and if needed, he will be brought to Bengal for the sake of investigation. The police will also be collecting the video footage in which he was found announcing the bounty and it will be sent for forensic test.

A police officer said the case has been initiated considering that such statements might leave a negative effect on people and it has been considered as a case of criminal intimidation.

Uttar Pradesh police have also registered an FIR against Yogesh in this connection on Wednesday. Thus, the state police will be seeking legal opinion for tagging both the cases into one.

Partha Chatterjee, secretary general of Trinamool Congress, demanding his arrest said: "This cannot be the language of politics or religion and he should be arrested immediately for making such a provocative statement." Subrata Mukherjee said BJP was trying to destabilise society and this trend was dangerous. "How can a leader make such an irresponsible statement." WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury said " RSS is functioning like the ISIS, that is, if they do not like anyone they go for beheading him or her. This is most unfortunate."

CPI(M) MP Mohammad Selim said "such a statement is uncalled for." Condemning the incident, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said: "It was unfortunate and uncalled for."