Trinamool billboard row: Derek O’Brien skips Kolkata Police summons, seeks more time

Kolkata, Aug 31 (IANS) Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien on Monday skipped his scheduled appearance at the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station for interrogation in connection with FIRs filed over the removal of an illegal billboard from the roof of Abhishek Banerjee’s party office on Camac Street in Central Kolkata.

Instead, he sent a letter to the Kolkata Police through his counsel seeking seven days to appear for interrogation. In his letter to the city police, O’Brien’s counsel claimed that since his client was served the notice at the last moment, he did not get time to consult his legal experts.

Confirming the development, a city police officer said that O’Brien will be served with a second notice and the process has already started.

On Sunday, the cops from the Shakespeare Sarani police station arrived at O’Brien’s house on Prince Anwar Shah Road in South Kolkata and handed over the interrogation notice to his aide. He was asked to appear at the Shakespeare Sarani police station by noon on Monday.

Besides O’Brien, the police have also issued interrogation notices to the Trinamool Congress’ general secretary and the party’s Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee and his personal assistant, Sumit Roy.

While Abhishek Banerjee has been asked to appear by noon on September 1, Sumit Roy’s scheduled time and date of arrival is by noon on September 2.

Now, it remains to be seen whether they appear for interrogation or seek more time like Derek O’Brien.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee’s counsel emailed the Kolkata Police on Sunday night claiming that the three FIRs, in relation to which he was served the notice, were not uploaded on the city police website.

The city police sent a reply to Abhishek Banerjee refuting the claims. The city police have claimed that all three FIRs were uploaded on the Kolkata Police website and the FIR copies were also available.

Tension broke out on Camac Street on August 27 afternoon after Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staff, accompanied by police personnel, reached Abhishek Banerjee’s Camac Street office to remove the illegal billboard.

The KMC staff and police personnel faced stiff resistance from party activists led by Abhishek Banerjee, O’Brien and other Trinamool Congress leaders. Scuffles broke out between the cops and the party activists.

In the three FIRs filed at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station, the city police have accused the Trinamool Congress activists of not only assaulting the on-duty cops but also attempting to outrage the modesty of a female police officer.

In two of the three FIRs filed, Banerjee, O’Brien and other Trinamool Congress leaders, such as Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee, have been named. The police have arrested 14 people in this connection so far.

–IANS

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