Sexual harassment case: CPI(M) meet on Wednesday to decide on suspended leader

Kolkata, Oct 29 (IANS) The CPI(M) state secretariat in West Bengal will on Wednesday take decisions regarding the suspended party leader, Tanmay Bhattacharya, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a woman journalist.

Bhattacharya was suspended on Sunday evening from the party following the allegations.

On the same day, Bhattacharya was summoned for questioning for the second time at Baranagar Police station in the northern outskirts of Kolkata under whose jurisdiction his residence comes.

Party insiders said that in the meeting on Wednesday, a decision might be reached on whether anyone outside the party would be included in the internal complaints committee that will be conducting the probe against Bhattacharya.

Already, it has been decided that Bhattacharya would remain suspended from the party till the time the internal complaints committee submits its final report on the development.

Party insiders said that there is a possibility that the members of the internal complaints committee might also interact with other women journalists to know their experiences in the course of their interactions with Bhattacharya.

On Monday, Bhattacharya faced a marathon questioning at Baranagar Police Station. The cops also questioned the journalist and noted down her detailed statement.

After facing the marathon questioning, Bhattacharya termed the allegations against him a well-planned plot to malign his image in public.

He countered every point of allegation that the female journalist raised in her Facebook live session on Sunday, following which Bhattacharya was suspended from the party.

However, he refrained from making any adverse statement against his party’s decision to suspend him.

“I am a communist and will continue to remain so till my death. I will continue as a CPI(M) activist till my death. If I am held guilty by my party and expelled, I will remain a communist till my last day. Even if I cannot continue as a CPI(M) activist, I will continue as a communist,” Bhattacharya said.

–IANS

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