Kolkata:
Mamata Banerjee's nephew Akash, arrested for slapping a traffic policeman, has not been granted bail. He will spend tonight in jail.
The assault and Mr Banerjee's arrest has landed the chief minister in a raging controversy. But her party continues to suggest that the fact that her nephew slapped a traffic policeman is not a big deal. "There has been a small incident," said Firhad Hakim, a minister in Ms Banerjee's government in Bengal. "Why only Kolkata? Across India, those who drive vehicles often have angry exchanges with traffic police and even get into scuffles," he added.
Mr Banerjee was arrested yesterday after he slapped a traffic cop who stopped his car for driving on the wrong side of the road. Eyewitnesses said that after Mr Banerjee slapped the cop, he shouted, "Don't you know who I am?" He was allowed to leave soon after, but was arrested after local media began reporting on the incident.
The chief minister's party says that proves that his relationship to Ms Banerjee has not offered him undue protection.
Only Mamata Banerjee, our chief minister, is implementing 'raj dharma'. Despite him (Akash) being her relative, the minute she heard about the incident, she said the law must take its own course," said Mr Hakim today.