Shib Prasad Hazra, a Trinamul Congress leader from Sandeshkhali against whom police on Friday had drawn charges of gang-raping a woman in Sandeshkhali, was arrested from Nazat police station area on Saturday.
Another local TMC leader Uttam Sardar, a co-accused in the case, is already in police custody. Hazra has been arrested in connection with the gang-rape case, an officer said.
A woman officer of the rank of sub-inspector has been posted to Sandeshkhali police station on Friday to probe the allegation of gang-rape against the duo. Till Friday, Sandeshkhali police station did not have any woman officer of the rank of sub-inspector, sources in the state home department said.
The woman sub-inspector along with a few woman constables initiated the probe on Saturday and visited the house of the victim. She was reportedly not at home. It was communicated that she should contact the police for undergoing medical test, which is a mandatory step for probing sexual harassment charges.
State DGP Rajeev Kumar on Saturday told media persons: “She did not make the statement before us. She made the statement before the magistrate... whatever sections are attracted will be put and have been put and whatever action needs to be taken will be taken.”
The news of Hazra’s arrest emerged some time after the DGP’s press meet.
Sources in the state home department said there were multiple complaints against Hazra with the police but the first under section of gang-rape emerged only after the woman, who had lodged a complaint on February 8 — attracting charges of outrage of modesty, wrongful restraint, common intention, criminal intimidation — recorded her statement before a magistrate on Thursday.
The Trinamul leaders had earlier been accused of grabbing land and water bodies and denying workers their payments. But popular outrage against the local leaders picked up steam after many women complained of torture and harassment. Villagers set fire to and destroyed a hatchery and farmhouse of Hazra.
The state administration tried to douse the flames of protest by imposing curbs under Section 144 of the CrPC in Sandeshkhali.
DGP Kumar said: “We are reviewing the Section 144 and will remove it area wise in a day or two, where it is not needed. We will ensure that people can carry on with normal life and livelihood. For land grabbing issues…there will be teams from the land department. From tomorrow onwards they will be visiting places, there will be camps, they will be accepting complaints. People can lodge any complaint…if there is evidence action will be taken.”