A police complaint filed by the woman of Chopra in North Dinajpur district who was flogged in public last month has led to repercussions in political circles with the Left and the BJP accusing the ruling dispensation of the state and the police of forcing her to file the complaint to exert pressure on them.

On June 30, a video, which was shot on June 28, showed a person resembling TMC leader Tajemul Islam aka JCB mercilessly flogging a woman and a person for getting into an extramarital affair.

As the video went viral, the police of Islampur police district took cognizance of the incident and arrested Islam. Later, some of his associates were also nabbed.

However, on the same day, she filed a complaint, accusing Mohammad Salim, the state CPM secretary and Amit Malviya, who heads BJP’s IT cell, of slandering her by posting the video on social media.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered on July 1 at Chopra police station. Charges under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

“The case has been referred to the cybercrime police station of Islampur police district,” said a source.

The woman, when contacted, confirmed that she filed the complaint and insisted that she didn’t do it under any “duress.”

“These people posted the video and it went viral. They have defamed me and I want appropriate steps against them. Also, the video should be deleted from social media,” she said.

On being asked as to why she hasn’t filed any complaint against Islam who had assaulted her in public, she dodged a direct reply.

“The issue was resolved and I was back home and staying with my family. The video, however, has left me in an uncomfortable situation and I feel humiliated,” said the woman.

Such a move by the victim and her remarks have prompted both the CPM and BJP to react.

Salim, while talking over the phone, said he was aware of the complaint and termed it as an SOP (standard operating procedure) of Trinamool.

“Whenever leaders of the party or miscreants backed by them torture common people, the party, as well as the police and administration, proactively make all such moves to hush up the incident. They either intimidate the victims or lure them with cash and other offers to file counterclaims. The same has happened here,” the CPM leader said.

Samik Bhattacharya, BJP’s chief spokesperson in Bengal, spoke along similar lines and said it proved the highhandedness of TMC-backed miscreants in the area.

“A new case against Amit Malviya has been lodged by the police in Chopra for sharing a video. The woman was forced to lodge the complaint there. This proves that Talibani rule is persisting in Bengal now,” Bhattacharya, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said.

TMC leaders of the district, however, were brief in their reactions. Hamidul Rahaman, the Chopra MLA who had earlier condoned the act of flogging, said his party has no connection to it.

“The woman felt insulted and thus filed the complaint. Our party doesn’t have any connection to it,” he said.

Senior police officers said on one hand, they are probing the incident and have registered cases against Islam and some of his associates.

“The woman has filed a separate case, alleging that her video has been posted
on social media without her consent. We are also investigating it,” said Joby Thomas, SP, Islampur police district.