A contractual female employee of West Bengal Raj Bhavan has taken her molestation allegations against Governor CV Ananda Bose to the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutional immunity that shields him from prosecution. The petition underscores the conflict between the protective provisions of Article 361 of the Constitution, which bars criminal proceedings against a sitting Governor, and the rights of the alleged victim.
The plea calls for urgent judicial intervention to establish clear guidelines on the immunity of Governors, particularly in cases involving criminal accusations. “This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, forced to wait for the accused to leave office, a delay that could compromise the trial and deny justice,” the petition elaborates.
The incident, as reported by the woman, occurred within the confines of the governor’s residence on two separate days, April 24 and May 2. Following the allegations, she approached the Kolkata Police, leading to heightened scrutiny of the governor’s actions during those dates.
In a bid to clear his name, Governor Bose displayed CCTV footage from the Raj Bhavan to a select group of journalists and officials, purportedly showing the employee moving about on the premises during the time of the alleged incidents. However, the complainant contests the relevance of this footage, criticizing it as a diversionary tactic and accusing Bose of withholding more pertinent videos from the police.
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The controversy has spiraled further following a defamation suit filed by Bose against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who publicly supported the woman’s claims and voiced concerns about the safety of women visiting the Raj Bhavan.
