JUP Chief Humayun Kabir’s son detained over alleged assault on policeman
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Kolkata: Golam Nabi Azad, son of Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) chief and Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir, was detained on Sunday for allegedly assaulting a policeman posted at their residence in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, a police officer said.
The Trinamool Congress said Azad, popularly known as Sohel, committed a cognisable offence by raising his hand on the policeman, who was serving as the personal security officer (PSO) of the legislator, and that police action was taken strictly in accordance with the law. The ruling party also maintained that it had no role in the incident.
A senior police officer said Sohel was detained following a complaint lodged at Shaktipur police station by Constable Jumma Khan. In his complaint, the constable alleged that the MLA’s son assaulted him earlier in the day when he sought permission for a few days’ leave.
“Based on the complaint, the accused has been detained for questioning. The matter is under investigation and necessary legal action will be taken,” the officer told PTI.
Kabir, who was suspended from the Trinamool Congress before floating his own party and who recently laid the foundation stone for a mosque modelled on the Babri Masjid in Muslim-majority Murshidabad, claimed that police had cordoned off his residence in the Shaktipur area following the incident. He said he was away from home on work when the incident occurred.
“My son objected to the entry of a policeman inside my house today. This angered the law enforcers, who then levelled false allegations against my son, accusing him of misbehaviour,” Kabir told reporters in Berhampore.
Alleging that he was being targeted at the behest of the Trinamool Congress, Kabir said the police could not cordon off the house of an elected representative on what he described as a “flimsy pretext”.
“I will gherao the SP’s office in Murshidabad on January 1 in protest against this harassment, which is politically motivated. I demand an explanation from senior police and administrative officials about today’s incident. They cannot intimidate me,” he said.
Kabir also claimed that his son was detained “illegally under false charges” and demanded his immediate release.
TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said that, according to information available with the party, Kabir’s son pushed the police constable when the latter entered the house to seek leave for personal reasons.
“He committed a cognisable offence by raising a hand on a policeman, and police have taken action as per the law. The party has nothing to do with it,” Chakraborty said.
Kabir laid the foundation stone for the mosque on December 6, a day after his suspension from the TMC. He subsequently launched the JUP and announced that the party would contest 182 of the 294 assembly seats in the elections due early next year. He has also expressed interest in forming an electoral alliance with Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.
With PTI inputs