West Bengal: Case lodged against TMC MP for slapping traffic constable

Kolkata, Jan 15: A case has been lodged against TMC MP Prasun Banerjee for allegedly slapping a traffic constable on duty when his car was not allowed to "forcibly enter" a road in Lake Town area of the city, police said on Thursday.

"A case was lodged against Prasun Banerjee last night for slapping a traffic constable on duty. We have launched an investigation and also taken the statement of the constable," said an official of Lake Town police station.

However, officials of same police station and also the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate under which the station falls had denied the incident yesterday.

Banerjee, a former Indian football team captain and Trinammol Congress Lok Sabha MP from Howrah, had denied the allegation saying "I have never indulged in any such activity and will not ever do so." "I had only requested him that I be allowed to go as I had an important meeting to attend ... The constable shouted that I will not be allowed whatever the reason may be and whether I am an MP or not," he had said yesterday.

Banerjee also claimed that the constable's colleagues present there told him that he was a mental patient and that he was undergoing treatment.

The traffic constable on the other hand had said that the car with Banerjee seated inside had wanted to take the wrong route and tried to forcibly enter it. "As I asked the driver to wait for a while, he refused to listen and told me to call anybody I wanted to. When I said that I will note down the car's number, he (driver) called Banerjee. Banerjee said do you know what you are saying and then slapped me," he said.

PTI