NEW DELHI: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has directed the Raj Bhavan staff not to cooperate with the police investigation in the molestation case against him. Ananda Bose, who is in Kerala, instructed a letter. Meanwhile, the Mamata Banerjee government is preparing to inform the President of Raj Bhavan’s non-cooperation.
Ananda Bose directed the Raj Bhavan staff to ignore the communication of the police in the case, citing the Constitutional immunity to the Governor from criminal proceedings during the term of office. Taking to his official X handle, Ananda Bose said that no inquiry can be conducted against a Governor during their term of office. Posting on X, the West Bengal Governor said that Article 361(2) and (3) of the Constitution of India protects the President, Governors, and Rajpramukhs. The post reads, “No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of office and no process for the arrest or imprisonment of the President, or the Governor of a State, shall issue from any court during his term of office.”He added further, “It is clear that the State machinery cannot set in motion any sort of criminal proceedings, whatsoever, against the Governor.”A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising eight senior police officers headed by Deputy Commissioner (Central) Indira Mukherjee had issued notices to the three Raj Bhavan employees asking them to appear for questioning. The SIT also demanded the CCTV footage of Raj Bhavan. As Raj Bhavan did not respond, the SIT will issue another notice today. The SIT was formed by the state government.