BJP candidate served notice to appear before police

Bollywood singer and BJP candidate from West Bengal's Asansol parliamentary constituency Babul Supriyo was Wednesday served notice to appear before the police.

"A complaint has been lodged against you under the Arms Act (besides other sections). There are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain the facts as alleged," reads the notice signed by police official Bamapada Das.

The Arms Act prescribes a minimum of six years' imprisonment which may extend to seven years.

The singer has been directed to appear before the officer by Wednesday failing which he is liable to face legal action.

The complaint was lodged by Trinamool Congress leader Senapati Mandal April 12 after Supriyo filed an FIR alleging that Mandal and his men heckled the singer and assaulted his bodyguard while campaigning in Raniganj in Burdwan district on the day.

Expressing dismay, Supriyo accused the Trinamool of trying to derail his political campaign by implicating him in false cases.

"It's utterly ridiculous how far these people can go ... One after another cases are being filed against me. Ironically, it was me and my bodyguard who were assaulted and I was the first to file the FIR against them," Supriyo told IANS.

Following Supriyo's complaint, the Election Commission had sought a report from the district administration about the alleged assault.

The singer, who was earlier accused of hurting religious sentiments by allegedly entering a temple "drunk", is preparing to file defamation cases against the complainants seeking Rs.2 crore in damages.

Both the BJP and the CPI-M have condemned the development.

"It is highly condemnable to see how the ruling party, wary of defeat, is using the police and administration to serve its own ends," BJP leader Tathagata Roy said.

"It is alarming to see how the police have become a tool of oppression in the hands of the Trinamool," said CPI-M leader Sujon Chakraborty.