Earlier, he used to get Z category security, as a minister and Kolkata mayor.
Former Kolkata mayor and Trinamool Congress leader Sovan Chatterjee and party leader Baisakhi Banerjee at a panel discussion organised by Bengal Think at ICCR in Kolkata on April 7, 2019. (Photo: IANS)
Four days after former Kolkata mayor and TMC MLA Sovan Chatterjee joined the BJP, the state government withdrew a layer of the security cover provided to him.
However, within hours, Mr. Chatterjee emailed Kolkata Police commissioner Anuj Sharma asking him to deploy police personnel for his security. According to sources, he alleged that police have removed his security on Saturday without any prior information and accused the TMC led government of vindictiveness.
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Earlier, he used to get Z category security, as a minister and Kolkata mayor. But later his security was downgraded to Y category. After his resignation as mayor and minister, he had been under a two layer security cover for the last eight months.
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Under this arrangement, 11 policemen were deployed for his security. However, six of the personnel were removed yesterday. In an email to Kolkata CP, Anuj Sharma, which was also marked to the state DGP, state home secretary and Union home minister Amit Shah, Chatterjee said his security was removed on Saturday without any intimation.
“In the wee hours of 11:15 pm on August 17, suddenly all my security personnel were withdrawn by your office without any intimation. It is pertinent to mention here that I apprehend such withdrawal of security personnel may be because of the vindictiveness of the state government against me as I’ve joined the BJP on August 14,” he said.
“The state government and the police department is fully aware that apart from antisocial elements, presently, my life and honour is at stake due to the activities and conspiracies of my wife, Ratna Chatterjee, ” he stated. BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said that if the state does not provide adequate security to Chatterjee, the Centre will.
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