Sandeshkhali: TMC files complaint with ECI against NCW chief, BJP leaders

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 12 : The All India Trinamool Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India seeking criminal proceedings against National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma and BJP leaders including Piyali Das for "commission of serious offences of forgery, cheating, fraud, intimidation and criminal conspiracy upon innocent women of Sandeshkhali."
"An interview of a woman from Sandeshkhali was shared on 'X' platform on 10.05.24, which reveals that Smt. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of the NCW, along with members/leaders of the BJP, including Smt. Piyali Das (a BJP member from Sandeshkhali), have committed serious offences of forgery, cheating, fraud, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy by exploiting innocent women of Sandeshkhali, for political gains," the complaint stated.
The Trinamool claimed that during the interview, a woman from Sandeshkhali shared her distressing experience in which she stated that she was coerced through threats of violence by Rekha Sharma and Piyali Das, to sign a blank paper without knowing its purpose.
Later, when the police issued her a notice, she learnt that she had been made a de-facto complainant in a rape case and she realized that her signature was used to file a false rape complaint without her consent, the TMC said.
When she tried to withdraw the complaint, she was subjected to intimidation and threats from local BJP members, especially from Piyali Das, who threatened her of dire consequences, if she resisted or tried to withdraw the complaint, the party said.
"The revelation of a deep-rooted conspiracy involving NCW's Chairperson Smt. Rekha Sharma and BJP leaders coercing innocent, uneducated women of Sandeshkhali to sign blank papers for filing false rape complaints, is a stark betrayal of trust by the member(s) of NCW," the complaint read.
The ruling party said that such illegal acts have caused terror in the minds of the general public during the ensuing general elections. The false narrative of Sandeshkhali incident spread by the BJP, holding the AITC responsible for this incident, is intended solely to malign the image of the AITC, it said.
The TMC asked the poll body to issue strict directions to respective Station House Officers of competent police stations to initiate criminal proceedings against Rekha Sharma, Piyali Das, and other unknown BJP leaders for their role in the commission of the aforesaid offences of forgery, cheating, fraud, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.
It has also asked to issue directions restraining the BJP and its leaders from making any further false allegations concerning the Sandeshkhali incident, as the evidence shows that they were spreading orchestrated, manufactured and unverified allegations against the ruling party and its leaders.
Last week, a video of a sting operation surfaced that has stirred up controversy in Sandeshkhali which was broadcast by a local television channel. In the alleged video, a person, purportedly a BJP Mandal (booth) president named Gangadhar Koyal is heard saying that Sandeshkhali women, who weren't sexually assaulted, were projected as 'rape' victims at the behest of the LoP.