Kolkata:
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Akash Banerjee, who was arrested here yesterday for allegedly slapping a traffic policeman, will be presented in court today. He has been charged with a non-bailable offence under section 353(b) of the Indian Penal Code (assault of a police officer on duty).
Police officials claim that the Chief Minister herself ordered the arrest of her nephew. Seeking to make a very embarrassing incident look a little better, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government said it was a "small incident and the chief minister had demonstrated raj dharma by ordering the arrest of her nephew."
Yesterday, Mr Banerjee's car was stopped in Khidderpore for violating a traffic rule - unconfirmed reports say the car was being driven on the wrong side of the road. The CM's nephew was in the car with two friends. When a traffic sergeant stopped the vehicle, Mr Banerjee and the two other passengers got out of the car and allegedly abused and beat him. People who witnessed the incident claim that Mr Banerjee shouted, "Don't you know who I am? I am the chief minister's nephew."
The three passengers were taken to the Watgunge police station. After the link to the chief minister was made clear, Mr Banerjee and the others were allowed to leave without any case being filed against them. Later, after people of the area raised a hue and cry and the local media reported on the incident, a case was registered and Mr Banerjee was arrested.