Kolkata: An FIR has been lodged with Contai Police station in East Midnapore against BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari and his brother Soumendu Adhikari in connection with a case of tarpaulin theft from the storeroom of Contai Municipality.
Following the arrest of one of the FIR named accused —Pratap De in this connection, the police have issued notice summoning two CAPF jawans for questioning on Tuesday. De was remanded in police custody for further interrogation.
Sources said that the CAPF jawans are deployed for the security purpose of Suvendu Adhikari and they have been summoned as it was alleged that the tarpaulins were stolen in their presence.
It needs mention that the tarpaulins were stolen from the dormitory building of Contai Municipality on May 29.
It has been alleged that the tarpaulins were loaded in a truck and taken away.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the relief materials were taken away without any consent for distribution in cyclone Yaas-affected areas.
A written complaint in this regard was submitted by a Member of the Board of Administrators of Contai Municipality Ratnadip Manna on May 29.
The complaint alleged that Himangshu Manna and Pratap De took away a truckload of tarpaulin from the official godown of Contai Municipality.
Receiving the complaint, the police initiated a probe after lodging a case (Contai Police Station Case No 198/21) of June 1.
The case was lodged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPS) on charges of house-trespass (section 448 IPC), theft (section 379 IPC), criminal breach of trust by public servant or by banker, merchant or agent (section 409 IPC), criminal conspiracy (section 120B IPC) read with section 51/53 of Disaster Management Act 2005 against Suvendu Adhikari, Soumendu Adhikari, Himangshu Manna and Pratap De.
The complainant also stated that he had suspected that some mischief would take place and went to the godown with some other members of the civic body only to find Himangshu there.
In reply to a query, the complainant was allegedly told by Himangshu that the tarpaulins were taken away following instructions of Suvendu Adhikari and his brother Soumendu Adhikari.