Kolkata: Namrata Datta, a resident of Balurghat in South Dinajpur with whom the expelled CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee had allegedly been into a relationship lodged a rape complaint against him at Balurghat police station on Tuesday.
A software engineer by profession, Namrata has alleged that Banerjee exploited her on the pretext of marriage and established physical relationship. The accused also tried to settle the matter by paying her some amount, she alleged.
In her compliant, she mentioned that she had met Banerjee on Twitter in 2016 when she was in Bangalore. Over time, a relationship grew between the two. The accused had expressed his feelings for her and said that he wanted to marry her. He even went to Balurghat to meet her mother during that time.
Following the incident, Banerjee filed a counter complaint of extortion and criminal intimidation against Dutta at Garfa police station on Tuesday. In his complaint, he stated that she had portrayed and represented herself to be a hapless lady in urgent need for a loan in order to pursue education abroad. Banerjee claimed that he helped her securing such a loan from SBI Balurghat branch following which she repeatedly sought material favours.
Namrata, however, denied the allegation by saying that she belonged to an affluent family and the story of a "poor girl" was cooked up by Banerjee. She also claimed that she is a software engineer and does not need money from him.
In her compliant, she alleged that he lured her to his 104 South Avenue Apartment in Delhi where they had physical relation. Later on, she met him several times in the past one year. Banerjee had assured her that he would marry her. The complainant told the police that she had photographic evidences too in support of her claims. She added that she was studying in the Netherlands since October, 2016 when he went there and stayed there for a while. During that time some issues developed between them after she expressed her intention to end the relationship. But Banerjee threatened to commit suicide by consuming sleeping pills, Dutta told the police in her complaint.
She went to Balurghat police station along with her mother at around 12 pm and lodged a written complaint in this regard on Tuesday. She also told the police that Banerjee, on various pretexts, did not want to talk to her. On October 5, Namrata tweeted that the Rajya Sabha MP had promised to marry her before getting physical in his Delhi flat.
Dutta also claimed that another woman who is believed to be Banerjee's present
girlfriend allegedly rang her up on her mobile and threatened for life.
Earlier, Ritabrata had lodged a complaint at Garfa police station in Kolkata, demanding action against the woman for maligning his image and leveling "false allegations".
Banerjee was shown the door by the Communist Party of India-Marxist last month after an internal inquiry found him "outright guilty" on four charges, including "moral degeneration in relation to women" and "serious inconsistencies between his income and expenditure".