Trinamool writes to election panel after BJP leaks Mamata Banerjee audio

New Delhi, Apr 17: The Trinamool Congress wrote a letter to the Election Commission seeking action against the BJP for allegedly recording and leaking an audio clip of party leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's conversation with Trinamool candidate Partha Pratim Ray.

"It is unprecedented that a Chief Minister's phone has been intercepted at BJP's behest and leaked one day before polls," the Trinamool said in the letter.

"The said conversation has been illegally and unlawfully recorded by and/or at the behest of BJP and played by the BJP in complete violation of the Constitution, Indian Telegraph Act, Information Technology Act, and Indian Penal Code," it added.

"The audiotape... was released and played by the BJP at their office during a press conference in the presence of BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya and MP Locket Chatteree," the Trinamool said.

The TMC has already described the audio clip as "bogus" and said no such conversation took place.

Releasing excerpts of a purported telephonic conversation between Banerjee and Partha Pratim Ray, the TMC candidate from Sitalkuchi seat, the BJP''s IT Cell chief, Amit Malviya, on Friday claimed that the "chief minister is trying to instigate riots by asking her party leaders to take out rallies with bodies".

"She is heard asking her party candidate to build the case in such a way that both the superintendents of police (of Cooch Behar) and other central forces personnel can be framed. Is this expected from a chief minister? She is trying to instil a sense of fear just for minority votes," he said.

Four persons died near a booth in Sitalkuchi constituency of Cooch Behar district as central forces opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who "attempted to snatch their rifles, amid the voting exercise for the fourth phase of elections on April 10.