Bengal Guv bars entry of police, minister from Raj Bhavan amid molestation claim

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose issued an order on Thursday, 2 April night banning the entry of the police and Minister of State for Finance, Chandrima Bhattacharya, into the Raj Bhavan.

The move came hours after a temporary female staff at the Raj Bhavan filed a written complaint with the police accusing the Governor of outraging her modesty.

“For defamation and anti-constitutional media statements against Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, a junior gubernatorial appointee Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Finance, has been banned entry into the Raj Bhavan premises in Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Barrackpore,” read a statement issued by the Governor's office.

Bhattacharya was the first to react after the allegation of molestation surfaced against the Governor.

“I wonder what is happening in the Raj Bhavan, and that too on a day when the Prime Minister is coming to the state," Bhattacharya said.

The statement issued by the Raj Bhavan also said that the Governor will not participate in any function attended by the Minister.

The Governor has also banned the entry of police into the Raj Bhavan premises.

“The Attorney General of India has been contacted for advice on further legal steps against the Minister. The Hon’ble Governor also banned the entry of police into the Raj Bhavan premises in the guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated investigation to placate political bosses during elections,” the statement read.

In an earlier statement issued on Thursday evening, the Governor denied the molestation charge, calling it an attempt to gain electoral benefits.

"Truth shall triumph. I refuse to 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,” it read.