Woman approaches Nabanna to file extortion complaint

A woman from Bally in Howrah approached the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) with an allegation that some local Trinamool Congress workers led by a Councillor of Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) had beaten them up to “grab a shop”.

This comes at the time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave a clear direction that involvement of any party worker in “illegal activities” or demand for extortion money will not be tolerated.

The victim Mansura Began (Dewan) alleged that on June 2, some workers of the party led by the Councillor of ward 59, Balaram Bhattacharya, had raided her house and ransacked the shop which they wanted to take possession of. They are attempting to take possession of the shop despite knowing that a case is going on over it between her and a tenant. Others against whom the complaint was lodged were SK Raja, Pallab Chatterjee and Pradyut Chatterjee.

“They had threatened me repeatedly to hand over the property to them legally. But it is a subjudice matter as I am fighting a case against one of my tenant over the same plot,” she said adding that they had not only ransacked the shop but also “harassed” her daughter.

Soon after the incident she had approached the Bally police station. But she was allegedly not helped by the policemen. Finding herself in a helpless situation she went to Kalighat to meet the Chief Minister on July 25. She had spoken to the officers posted at the Chief Minister’s Office in her residence.

The CMO wrote to DP Singh, Commissioner of Police of Howrah City Police, to “examine the matter”.