Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Kolkata, October 30 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress on Thursday expelled a party councilor from Birbhum district after he was accused of raping a woman by falsely promising marriage. The decision came within 24 hours of the police case being registered against him.
According to the party, the accused councilor and Rampurhat city Trinamool committee vice-president Priyanath Sao was expelled following instructions from Trinamool Congress national general secretary and party leader in Lok Sabha Abhishek Banerjee.
An FIR was lodged against Sao on Wednesday based on a complaint by a young woman, who alleged that he hid his marriage and had physical relations with her under the false pretext of marrying her, but later reneged on his promise.
West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker and Rampurhat Trinamool Congress MLA Ashish Banerjee announced the disciplinary action at the party office in Rampurhat on Thursday afternoon.
“The decision to expel him was taken after a thorough review by Abhishek Banerjee. Our leader does not believe in taking hasty decisions. After examining all aspects of the case, he directed us to expel the councilor from the party indefinitely,” Banerjee told reporters.
According to the police complaint, the victim said that she met Sao in 2015 while making her voter ID card. She alleged that although he was already married and had a child, he hid this from her and raped her repeatedly for several years after promising marriage.
“When her family later approached Saav for marriage, he refused, saying he was already married,” the complaint said.
A senior Birbhum district police official confirmed that a case has been registered and investigation has begun. “A case has been registered. We have started investigation and are looking into all aspects of the allegations,” the officer said.
The police had not arrested the accused councilor till Thursday evening.
The expulsion comes amid a series of image-sensitive disciplinary measures by the Trinamool Congress in recent months, with the party leadership emphasizing that individuals facing criminal charges will not be shielded or tolerated.
–IANS
SH/PGH