What are the sexual harassment claims against West Bengal governor?
What's the story
A woman employee of the Raj Bhavan in West Bengal has accused Governor CV Ananda Bose of molesting her twice in his chamber since April 24. The woman, who stays in the staff quarters, first approached the Raj Bhavan outpost, from where she was taken to the Hare Street police station. The state police have recorded the woman's statement but are yet to file an FIR. Here is a look at the accusations made by the woman and Bose's response:
Allegations
What did the woman allege
In her complaint, the woman alleged that Bose first contacted her on April 24 when he told her to come see him with her CV. "On 24.04.2024, at around 12.45 pm, he called me to his office room and, after some discussion, touched me. I somehow managed to leave the office room." "He called me once again today, 02.05.2024. I took my supervisor along with me to the conference room because I was scared," she said in her complaint.
Supervisor
He asked the supervisor to leave, woman claims
After discussing work for a while, he asked the supervisor to leave. He then continued the conversation by discussing my promotion. "He said he will call me at night and asked me not to tell anyone. When I refused, he tried to touch me. I protested and left," she added. Deputy Commissioner of Central Division Indira Mukherjee confirmed that a complaint was forwarded to Hare Street police station and that an inquiry is underway.
Bose's response
Governor denies allegations, suggests political motive
Bose has strongly refuted the sexual harassment allegations. He said that the allegations are part of a plot to tarnish his reputation for political gain. He stated that he would not be "cowed down by engineered narratives." "If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal," he added.
Sources
Bose bars police from entering Raj Bhavan
Meanwhile, the PTI, citing Raj Bhawan sources, reported that the woman was "blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India." But when she was "reprimanded for that," she claimed molestation, the sources added. Amid the allegations, Bose has banned the police from entering the Raj Bhavan under the "guise of conducting an unauthorized, illegitimate, sham, and motivated investigation to placate political bosses during elections."