A few days back a lady contractual staff of Raj Bhawan lodged a written complaint with the Kolkata Police against Bose alleging sexual molestation by the Governor inside the premises of Raj Bhawan. In all fairness, upholding the highest order of probity and transparency in public life Bose should have volunteered for a police investigation. Instead, Bose ordered a ban on the entry of cops to the Raj Bhavan "in the guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated investigations to placate political bosses during the election". His ban order raises the question why the Governor was “hiding behind a shield of immunity”, and why he was “so scared”, not allowing the investigation to proceed.

Bose’s actions give rise to suspicion, and some would say his banning of the Kolkata Police from Raj Bhavan does betray a certain guilty conscience.

It is not that Bose is not aware of the provisions that Under Article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a Governor during his term in office. Since he enjoys immunity, he would have well allowed the police to accomplish its task. Let us look at the incident from other side. A thorough probe would have indeed helped Bose. If the complaint was found to be false and motivated, the lady would have been punished for maligning Bose. But Bose’s action has smeared his own image and people have come to nurse the view that he might have committed the crime he’s being accused of.

Kolkata Police have formed an inquiry team which will be speaking to some probable witnesses over the next few days in this matter. They have also requested the Raj Bhavan to share the CCTV footage, in case they are available. The police may look at Bose’s order to the Raj Bhavan staff as an attempt to temper with and/or erase evidence. Likely, the police will not have access to the CCTV footage to ascertain the complaint. "We have to investigate any complaint lodged by anybody. This is a regular practice and we are just following that. And if needed we may visit the spot (Raj Bhavan)," said a senior police officer in Kolkata Police.

While Bose has been trying to hide behind constitutional provisions, he, in a statement, said: “The reports from the media indicate that the police propose to conduct an inquiry into the incident and that they would be examining the staff of the Raj Bhavan. It is also reported that the investigating team intends to collect the CCTV footage from Raj Bhavan. The question that arises is as to whether the police can conduct an inquiry and collect evidence in view of the immunity enjoyed by the Governor under Art. 361(2) and (3) of the Constitution of India.”

He further wrote: “To say that the inquiry/ investigation of the police could continue even during the tenure of the Governor though no court can take cognisance of the final report, would be in derogation of the objective and essence of Art.361 of the Constitution of India. It is therefore clear that in view of Art. 361 (2) and (3) of the Constitution of India, the state Police cannot act in any manner whatsoever to inquire/ investigate/ set in motion any kind of proceedings against the Hon’ble Governor.”

In sharp contrast to Bose’s stand, the lady has offered to sit in front of Bose and take a lie detector test or ‘any test’. “If he is that innocent, why he is escaping?” she said, adding, “He is guilty of molesting me, twice. The truth will remain truth irrespective of whatever people think of me. The point is that Sir has got the courage to molest a very ordinary lady, twice, from that immunity (sic!).” Bose must know that no one is above law and he cannot use his office to circumvent the law. There is no constitutional embargo on the police carrying out an investigation into the charges against the governor.

Bose’s actions portray the political culture he has imbibed from the saffron ecosystem and his political masters. The conscience-keeper of the saffron ecosystem, Modi, has been maintaining deafening silence in the case of rape and molestation of women in Manipur, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. But he has been quite vocal and aggressive in the matter of Sandeshkhali, in West Bengal. For Modi, the Sandeshkhali incident is a slur on the image of Bengal and Bengali culture, but he does not find a right word to describe Manipur or Karnataka rapes.

Significantly, Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Prajwal Revanna case was not a sex scandal but a mass rape. He also charged Modi of openly supporting a “mass rapist,” while his government also let him flee the country. Rahul said: “Prajwal Revanna rapes 400 women and makes videos. This is not a sex scandal; it’s rape, and the PM on a open stage is supporting the mass rapist, he is saying if you vote for him it will be of help to me. Every woman here should know that when the PM was asking for votes he knew exactly what Prajwal Revanna had done. Every BJP leader knew he was a mass rapist, but still supported him.”

No doubt Modi, by maintaining silence on Manipur and Revanna cases has insulted all women and should apologise to all women in the country for supporting a rapist. But Modi chose to dig up a nasty case of violation of women’s dignity and prestige in Sandeshkhali. Mamata Banerjee was right in saying that Modi must not spread 'mistruth' and should stop shedding crocodile tears.

Just after the Sandeshkhali incident took place, Modi visited the area at least four times and chastised the state government for its inability to protect the great Bengali culture. However, a sting operation now shows that the entire incident might have been planned and executed by the senior BJP turncoat Suvendu Adhikari. The TMC on Saturday released a video on social media, in which a man, claiming to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the "whole conspiracy".

Mamata even alleged: "Blatant lies were invented by the BJP, which plotted a conspiracy by giving money to some people to tell lies. Did anyone ever imagine that BJP would stoop so low that it would spread canards on Sandeshkhali? Don't dishonour the mothers of West Bengal by levelling such heinous allegations. Don't dare try to disrespect women of the state by offering them money to level false allegations against our party."

Trinamool Congress has lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal alleging that the CBI had "deliberately carried out an unscrupulous" raid at an "empty location" at Sandeshkhali during the second phase of polling in the state.

The “parrot” CBI also seized arms and ammunition, including a police service revolver and foreign-made firearms, during raids at the premises of an associate of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh. The raids were conducted in connection with the January attack on ED team by a mob.

It is alleged that the local BJP leader in the sting operation also revealed the arms were placed at the direction of the senior BJP leader, the master mind. Meanwhile, TMC in a letter to the CEO said that while 'law and order' fell completely within the domain of the state government, the CBI did not issue any notice to it or the police authorities before carrying out such a raid. (IPA Service)