Law and order deteriorates in Kolkata after CBI arrests

Meanwhile the women wing of the party approached the Kolkata police commissioner Somen Mitra and demanded the arrest of CBI officers because of illegal means applied by the officers to arrest high-profile Trinamool leaders. 

After the chief minister arrived at the CBI office at 10.47 am Trinamool supporters started gathering infront of the CBI office. Sensing this might lead to law-and-order problems, the premiere agency deputed a huge number of central forces to cordon off the entire office, restricting entry of the people inside the premises. 

The supporters started dharna in front of the office gate demanding release of the Trinamool leaders. At 1 pm suddenly the mob turned furious and started throwing stones at the central forces. The forces barricaded the whole stretch but the supporters broke the barricade and tried to enter into the office. Meanwhile another group of supporters burned tyres and protested against the arrest. 

"Why were they arrested without any notice? The Narada case came to the fore in 2016 and after five years they had the time to arrest them. It is Covid time and lockdown conditions are going on. Is this the time to arrest our leaders? They have not even taken permission from the Speaker. They have violated all norms," a Trinamool supporter said. 

The women wing of the party, led by minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, met Kolkata's police commissioner Somen Mitra and demanded the arrest of the CBI officers who were responsible for the arrest of the Trinamool leaders. 

A memorandum submitted to the Commissioner alleges that the CBI officer didn't take the legal route to arrest the leaders. They didn't seek the permission of the Speaker rather they approached the Governor who is working at the behest of BJP. "The leaders and the ministers have not been even given the notice under CrPC 41 which is mandatory before making any kind of arrest," the memorandum said. 

Meanwhile Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who entered into the CBI office at 10.47 am in the morning, is still inside the office demanding the release of her leaders. Sources in the party said that she has started a sit-in in CBI's Kolkata office to protest the arrest of four of Trinamool leaders, provoking a Centre-state confrontation. 

Her spokesperson, lawyer Anindyo Raut, told waiting mediapersons: "Didi (Banerjee) will not leave this CBI office until her party colleagues are released or until she is also arrested." 

He said Mamata Banerjee told the CBI officers they have arrested the four leaders, among them two sitting and two former ministers, without the mandatory notice. "These arrests are politically motivated and illegal. Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy have been let off though they faced the same charges," Raut quoted the CM as saying.