CID grills Ritabrata Banerjee for six hours; to quiz him again today

Kolkata: The West Bengal CID on Tuesday interrogated expelled CPI(M) leader Ritabrata Banerjee for almost six hours in a case related to an alleged physical relationship with a woman on the promise of marriage.

Mr Banerjee, who had been evading the CID for nearly a month, arrived at its headquarters here at around 12.30 pm to be questioned by the sleuths, a senior officer of the agency said.

“During the interrogation, Banerjee was asked about his involvement in the case and his relationship with the complainant. We are going through his answers, which will be verified as per requirements,” he added.

Mr Banerjee was asked to come to the CID office on Wednesday as well. “I have told them whatever I had to say. I will cooperate with the CID in every possible way. I will be coming to meet the investigating officers here tomorrow,” the expelled CPI(M) leader told reporters outside the CID headquarters.

The woman, a resident of Balurghat in South Dinajpur district, had lodged a complaint at the Balurghat police station last month, alleging that Mr Banerjee had established a physical relationship with her at his New Delhi residence.

The matter has also been referred to the Delhi police. The Left party had recently expelled Banerjee, who was a Rajya Sabha MP, for “gross anti-party activities” and breaking its discipline.