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Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien appeared at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on Wednesday after the police issued a notice to him and party MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with an August 27 incident at the TMC office on Camac Street.
The West Bengal Police had registered an FIR against the two TMC MPs and others over alleged obstruction and assault of police personnel during the removal of an unauthorised hoarding at 9, Camac Street. A case has been registered at Shakespeare Sarani Police under Sections 191(2) (rioting), 191(3) (rioting and using an armed deadly weapon), 190 (unlawful assembly), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty), 74 (assault on woman), 3(5) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS. According to Kolkata Police, the police team accompanied Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials to the spot following a written request from the civic body for police assistance in carrying out the removal. Police alleged that Derek O'Brien, Abhishek Banerjee, Baisanor Chattopadhyay, AJUP leader Humayun Kabir and others, including their supporters, formed an unlawful assembly and obstructed KMC officials from carrying out their duties. However, the TMC leaders have strongly criticised the BJP government and the police amid a row over the removal of the hoarding. "Mission Absurd. Policemen on taxpayers' money. All sent in to remove one signboard of a political party," Derek O'Brien posted on X. In a post on X, the TMC questioned the police, alleging that some personnel were in plain clothes and some had no badges or IDs. The TMC posted, "What we fail to understand is why such a heavy police deployment was necessary? Some personnel were in uniform, others in plain clothes; some had no badges or IDs, yet they were carrying sticks and wearing helmets. Why did such a large force enter office premises? What exactly were they there to do? Was this a battle? What was the purpose of this deployment?" (ANI)
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