West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has banned the police from accessing the Raj Bhavan under the "guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated "investigation" to placate political bosses during elections," escalating the conflict with the state administration.
The statement issued by Raj Bhavan read, "The Attorney General of India has been contacted for advice on further legal steps against the Minister. The Hon'ble Governor also banned the entry of police into the Raj Bhavan premises in the guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated investigation to placate political bosses during elections."
The action came following charges that the governor sexually harassed a staff member at the Raj Bhavan, the allegation which was later rejected by Bose, who said he would not be "cowed down by engineered narratives".
Bose also barred the minister of state, department of finance, Chandrima Bhattacharya, from entering the Bhavan's premises in the capital city of Kolkata, Darjeeling and Barrackpore for reportedly passing defaming and anti-constitutional media statements against him. The order was issued by Raj Bhavan on May 2.
"I wonder what is happening in the Raj Bhavan, and that too on a day when the Prime Minister is coming to the state," Ms Bhattacharya said.
As per the reports, one of the temporary employees at the Raj Bhavan claimed that she was assaulted twice by the governor. She had also filed a complaint regarding the same at a police station in Kolkata.