West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was under scrutiny after a temporary woman staff of Raj Bhavan complained of molestation at his hands.
However, now, a similar allegation has been raised by an Odissi dancer from the state. She had filed a complaint in October 2023 accusing the governor of sexually abusing her in a Delhi hotel in January that year. This is as per an inquiry report submitted by Kolkata Police to the state government last week.
Bose allegedly targeted the classical dancer when she met him to seek his help in resolving issues related to her travel abroad.
She told police that the governor agreed to help her and advised that she also approach the external affairs ministry. She received flight tickets to and from Delhi, along with a hotel booking for Jan 5 and 6 last year.
Bose, who was staying at Delhi’s Banga Bhavan at the time, visited her hotel and allegedly abused her there. The complainant didn’t explain why she waited 10 months to lodge the complaint, officials said.
No response has, reportedly, been sought from Bose and Raj Bhavan officials yet.
It has been learnt that the officials, as per the preliminary inquiry report, confirmed that the governor’s Banga Bhavan and hotel entry-exit timings and CCTV footage corroborate the timeframe mentioned in the complaint.
CM Mamata Banerjee said at a rally on May 11 that not everything about governor Bose had come out yet.
Bose, too, had hinted more complaints against him might emerge. On May 3, a day after the Raj Bhavan staffer complained that he molested her on April 24 and May 2, the governor spoke of “a more sinister plot”.
He then went to Kochi and then released a statement, “Raj Bhavan has received a confidential report that political forces have planted one more person with sinister intent. These are just election ploys, nothing more, nothing less.”
Meanwhile, the governor has cited “constitutional immunity from criminal prosecution” as his shield.
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