A screening was arranged for 100 people as Bose wanted to show the footage to ‘citizens of Bengal’, but half the seats remained vacant, sources said
KOLKATA: Bengal
governor CV Ananda Bose
screened
CCTV footage
Thursday before a select group that shows a
Raj Bhavan female staffer
he is accused of molesting walking out of the complex last week, prompting her to describe the disclosure of her identity without consent “as another crime that made her even contemplate suicide”.
The video of the woman between 5.33pm and 6.41pm on May 2 shows her approaching a police outpost within the compound and then leaving in a car.
But it does not show anything to either corroborate or disprove the allegations.
TMC ministers denounced the screening and questioned the governor’s intent, specifically his stand that he would not show the video to “(CM) Mamata Banerjee and her police” and his earlier contention that his position gave him immunity from prosecution. Bengal women and child development minister Shashi Panja Panja announced a “boycott” of Bose. “Will I sit beside him on the same dais when I know he is accused of molestation?” Panja asked.
In a text message to TOI, the complainant said: “The governor committed a heinous act and is now trying to cover up his misdeeds by staging a farce. I was aware that Indian law mandates protecting the identity of the complainant during an investigation.”
Speaking about “contemplating suicide”, she decried the fact that her and her family’s reputation was shattered because of the governor. “He has released a video of mine without permission, thus leaving me with no choice but to take my own life. However, if a real investigation can take place, truth will come to light,” she said. The complainant added: “The footage shows me crying while walking towards the outpost. It shows I am walking with a person. That person had earlier snatched my bag and the governor had instructed that the person would accompany me to my home in a Raj Bhavan car and had asked me not to speak about the matter to anyone.”
Minister Panja rejected Bose’s assertions of immunity. “The constitutional immunity refers to his roles as governor, not against sexual abuse. But if he misused his position, believing that abusing women is a part of the governor’s responsibilities… it would be contrary to the constitutional provisions. You are not above the law,” Panja added, announcing the “boycott”. Raj Bhavan had arranged a viewing for 100 people after Bose announced that he wanted to show the CCTV footage to the “citizens of Bengal”, but half of the chairs were vacant, a source said.
