A temporary CBI camp in Sandeshkhali's Dhamakhali has come up to help villagers lodge complaints of alleged land grabbing and sexual assault on women.
This comes at a time when Bengal's political discourse ahead of the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls is abuzz with developments around this hamlet in North 24-Parganas, nearly 76km north of Calcutta.
Sandeshkhali has remained the rallying point for the BJP this poll season amid purported videos "exposing" the party's plot to tarnish Trinamool in this region.
Trinamool has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India accusing Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, and other BJP leaders, of “fabricating rape allegations” against its party leaders in Sandeshkhali.
In this heated scenario, Calcutta High Court on Friday granted unconditional bail to Mampi Das aka Piyali, a BJP worker in Sandeshkhali. The charge against Mampi was that she had allegedly coerced a woman in Sandeshkhali to lodge a fake rape complaint after making her sign on a blank sheet of paper.
On Saturday, stepping out of the Dum Dum Correctional Home, Mampi said she would take on chief minister Mamata Banerjee and pledged to continue to work for Sandeshkhali's women.
"I'm on the path of truth and righteousness. Women are being oppressed and tortured and the chief minister isn't backing them despite being a woman," Mampi said.
In the backdrop of sexual assault charges against local Trinamool leaders in Sandeshkhali, the CBI temporary camp on the first floor of a house near the Dhamakhali ferry ghat was aimed at "helping villagers and instilling confidence among those scared to lodge complaints", officers said.
"The camp will facilitate lodging complaints for villagers in Sandeshkhali who may have been struggling to do it on our email sandeshkhali@cbi.gov.in," a senior officer said. "Some may have issues with the Internet or finding someone to send an email. The officers in the camp will help them file complaints."
In April, Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to probe into charges of land grab and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali and take up confidence-building steps in cases where complainants seek protection.
CBI sources said central forces would guard the camp and officers here would keep seniors at the CBI's Nizam Palace office in Calcutta in the loop. Security arrangements will be offered for those scared to file a complaint.
"Over 1,000 complaints of land grab, criminal intimidation, assault and sexual assault on women reached us since the email id was released in April. They are being cross-checked," the officer said.
Responding to the CBI's role in Sandeshkhali, industries minister and Trinamool leader Sashi Panja said: "In Sandeshkhali, we saw some women complain they were forced to sign on blank pages by the BJP, and some claimed they were tortured. Even the BJP's Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra questioned the credibility of the victims who met the President. Why is the CBI not taking cognisance of the sting videos (alleging the CBI scripted rape charges)? The agency should probe both sides. It will be unfortunate if the agency is used to create political perception (that benefits the BJP)...."
