The Calcutta High Court will hear on July 15 an application for interim order by West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose in a defamation suit filed by him against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and some other Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.
The Governor had filed a defamation case against Ms. Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed that women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan. Justice Krishna Rao on July 10 granted leave for the defamation plaint to be registered before his court.
He directed that Mr. Bose's application for an interim order, for a direction upon Ms. Banerjee and the others not to make any further comment on the issue under contention, will be taken up for hearing on Monday.
Justice Rao also directed Mr. Bose's lawyer to serve copies of the application to the defendants in the suit in the meantime.
During an administrative meeting in the State Secretariat, Ms. Banerjee had on June 27 said "women have informed me that they are afraid of visiting the Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there".
Following her remarks, the Governor had said it was expected of public representatives not to create "erroneous and slanderous impressions".
On May 2, a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of molestation against Mr. Bose, following which the Kolkata Police started an inquiry. Under Article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a Governor during his/her term in office.
Published - July 10, 2024 02:44 pm IST
