Kolkata court denies bail to 13 people arrested over clash at TMC office

A Kolkata court sent 13 people arrested over the Camac Street clash to police custody till September 3. The clash erupted during removal of an illegal billboard.

A Kolkata court on Friday denied bail to 13 people arrested for allegedly attacking police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials during a confrontation over the removal of an unauthorised billboard outside Trinamool Congress leader (TMC) Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street, lawyers who attended the hearing said.

The Bankshall court remanded all 13 people, who were arrested between Thursday evening and Friday morning, in police custody until September 3.

Also read: Chaos at Abhishek Banerjee’s office as TMC billboard put up ‘without nod’ removed

Meanwhile, the Calcutta high court denied relief to Banerjee, who filed a petition on this issue, lawyers said.

Banerjee and some TMC leaders, such as Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien and former IPS officer Humayun Kabir, blocked the path of the police and KMC officials as they tried to move through the human barricade. The TMC streamed the jostling live on Facebook as it continued for about an hour. Banerjee alleged that the order to remove the billboard had technical flaws.

Kolkata police commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand said on Friday that more people would be charged after reviewing video footage of Thursday’s incident. “The billboard was illegal as per KMC norms. Police accompanies KMC officials deployed to remove illegal billboards. We are reviewing video footages to see who were involved in the use of physical force. Action will be taken on that basis. There is a difference between protest and physical resistance,” Nand said.

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“The arrested people have been charged with obstructing government officers from doing their duty,” Nand added.

TMC founder Mamata Banerjee raised the issue on Friday and targeted chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, saying his rule will end the day the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre collapses.

“Three young Muslim men who were in Camac Street were arrested today after they went to a mosque to offer namaz. Police was not like this during my tenure,” Banerjee said at a rally held in Kolkata observing the foundation day of TMC’s students’ wing, the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).

“This government needs Central forces to function. We never needed (them) in 15 years. For four months we sought your permission for every political event and had to move court when you refused. Why should we go to court? It has to hear thousands of cases. We won’t go to court from now on. Now I will start touring the districts. Stop me if you can,” Banerjee said.

Targeting the police, Banerjee said, “You arrested our men for going to Camac Street. Why? Can you remove the BJP’s posters? They are all around my home. Now we will file cases against the police. As the BJP doesn’t have workers, the police are working for them.”

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“TMC will return to power. There will be a massive shift in politics very soon. BJP supporters will give you a befitting reply. The government in Delhi will collapse and when it goes, you will go too,” Banerjee said, without naming Suvendu Adhikari.

Urban development and municipal affairs minister Agnimitra Paul said the KMC did the right thing by removing the billboard.

“We will deal with the matter in court. We will not allow any illegal activity. The way Abhishek Banerjee behaved with the police does not suit a parliament member,” Paul said.

The Congress held a separate rally to celebrate the foundation of its students’ wing, the Chhatra Parishad, which Mamata Banerjee led before quitting Congress and forming the TMC in 1998.

Leaders of the TMC rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee also held a rally to celebrate the day. Speakers at all three gatherings targeted each other.