Kolkata, 13 December (H.S.) :
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has been arrested in Kharagpur town of West Medinipur district, West Bengal, on charges of sexual assault involving a minor. The arrest has caused discomfort within the district BJP leadership.
The arrested accused has been identified as Deepasona Ghosh, a former BJP Mandal President of Kharagpur town. According to police sources, multiple cases have been registered against him under Sections 329(4) and 115(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Police officials said a formal complaint was lodged in court, following which a team from Kharagpur Town Police Station, led by Officer-in-Charge Parthasarathi Pal, arrested Ghosh late Friday night from the Subhashpally area of Kharagpur. He was produced before the Midnapore court, which remanded him to police custody.
The incident has triggered sharp political reactions. The local Trinamool Congress leadership strongly attacked the BJP over the matter. Medinipur organisational district TMC president Sujay Hazra alleged that such incidents reflect the BJP’s mindset, stating that leaders of the party do not respect women.
A local BJP leader, however, revealed that Deepasona Ghosh had earlier also been arrested following a complaint by a woman party worker, in which similar allegations of harassment were made.
According to local sources, the accused leader rose rapidly within the party after 2017 and was frequently seen in the front ranks of BJP meetings and rallies before being appointed Mandal President. It is alleged that through party connections he came in contact with a married woman, and in October this year, accusations surfaced that he sexually assaulted her minor daughter. Based on these allegations, police initiated legal action leading to his arrest.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and further details will emerge as the probe progresses.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
