Krishnagar (WB): Following the order of the Calcutta High Court, the police today lodged an FIR against actor turned Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal for his alleged “shoot and rape” comments against opposition party supporters and women of their homes.
Nadia district Superintendent of Police Arnab Ghosh said the FIR was filed in Nakashipara police station in connection with the controversial remarks made during public meetings in his Krishnagar constituency in Nadia district.
The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
Among these IPC Sections, 505 is non-bailable. Justice Nishita Mhatre of the high court on September 25 ordered lodging of the FIR within 72 hours and a CID probe into Pal's remarks.
Justice Mhatre, before whom the matter was referred by the Chief Justice following a split order by a division bench, upheld the single bench order that had directed lodging of an FIR and CID probe into Pal's remarks.
Justice Mhatre said there was no need for the court to monitor the investigation, as ordered by the single judge bench of Justice Dipankar Dutta on July 28.
Justice Dutta had directed inspector-in-charge of Nakashipara police station in Nadia district to treat the July one complaint by petitioner Biplab Chowdhury as an FIR and transfer the case to the DIG-CID within 72 hours of registration of the FIR.
Appeals by the state government and Pal before a division bench of Justice Girish Gupta and Justice T Chakraborti had led to a split verdict with the former setting aside Justice Dutta's order while the latter upholding it.
After a row broke out following airing of the footage of the remarks in television channels, Pal had on July 1 tendered an unconditional apology to his party, saying that in making such comments he had let down his constituency and the people of the state.
