In Bengal, senior cop's suicide note blames Mamata Banerjee, sparks controversy

A suicide note of a retired senior cop blaming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sparked a massive political storm in the state. The officer has been identified as Gaurav Dutt. In a suicide note that has gone viral, Dutt accused the Chief Minister of abetting his suicide by keeping him on "compulsory waiting" - a punitive step when an officer is not given a posting - and for withholding his dues after he retired on December 31, 2018. The 1986 batch IPS officer had allegedly committed suicide at his Salt Lake home on Tuesday.

"This is for the first time in the history of West Bengal that a senior IPS officer committed suicide and blamed the government or a party leader," BJP leader Mukul Roy said. Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh has demanded a CBI probe into this case. "We have a copy of his suicide note and it clearly suggests that he took the extreme step under pressure after being harassed by the state chief minister and her administration," Ghosh said.

Dutt was suspended for alleged sexual abuse of a male constable in 2010.

Recently, Banerjee was embroiled in a high-profile drama involving former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Kumar, who had served as the Commissioner of Kolkata Police for three years, is being accused by the CBI in handling the ponzi scam probe after the main accused Sudipta Sen and Debjani Mukherjee, both promoters of Saradha group of companies, had fled to Kashmir, officials said in Kolkata.

Earlier, CBI officials had to beat a hasty retreat from Kumar's residence after its officials were not only prevented by guards from entering the premises but were also detained by Kolkata police.

The incident had triggered an unprecedented tussle between the West Bengal government and the Centre as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a sit-in against the CBI move. Later, the agency rushed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court later directed Kumar to appear before the CBI and "faithfully" cooperate into the investigation but made it clear that he should not be arrested.

(With agency inputs)