Former CPM Leader Ritabrata Banerjee Files FIR Against Woman Alleging Rape

Kolkata: Expelled Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Ritabrata Banerjee lodged an FIR against a woman who alleged that she was sexually exploited by him on the pretext of marriage.

Ritabrata lodged the complaint at Garfa Police station in Kolkata, demanding action against the woman for maligning his image and leveling "false allegations".

On October 5, Namrata Datta, a resident of Balurghat in South Dinajpur district, tweeted that the Rajya Sabha MP had promised to marry her before getting physical in his Delhi flat.

Her tweet to Mamata Official reads, “@MamataOfficial maám pls help me 2 fight my battle against this @RitabrataBanerj so that I can maintain my modesty. He promised to marry me.”

The woman claimed that when she protested, the MP offered Rs 2.5 lakh, asking her to stay quiet and forget the whole incident. “He offered another Rs 50 Lakh to me,” her tweets to Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi read.

“He took me to his 104 South Avenue flat a under false pretext to have a physical relationship. He is completely denying it now. Also, gave me Rs 2.5 lakh day before as compensation like I'm a prostitute. Police won't take a zero FIR against him cos he is a MP. I seek ur help. He also offered Rs 50 lakh 2shut up. He is threatening me over the phone, saying she will send ppl (people) 2rape me (Sic),” her series of tweets to Maneka reads.

“@narendramodi police won't take a zero FIR against @RitabrataBanerj cos he is a MP.I seek ur help.he also offered Rs50 lakh 2shut up,” he tweeted.

She also tweeted to Lok Sabha MP Md Salim pleading for justice. “Dear @salimdotcomrade I was raped by @RitabrataBanerj. I've emailed u d details. Police not helping. Pls help me sir, else I've 2commit suicide,” her tweet read.

Rubbishing woman's allegations, Ritabrata tweeted in the morning, reading, “Hard Facts. Manufactured Lies" will be combatted. Will not succumb to "politically aided threats.”

He also lodged an official complaint at Garfa Police Station on October 6 in Kolkata and demanded stern action against the woman.

“This is to bring to your kind notice that I (Ritabrata) got acquainted to the aforementioned lady (Namrata Datta) in May, 2016. During the course of my interaction with her, she had portrayed and represented herself to be a hapless lady in urgent need for a loan from SBI Balurghat Branch. Thereafter, she continued to make repeated material demands. I was induced and allured to meet her material demands till I realized that her demands are boundless,” excerpts from Ritabrata’s FIR reads.

“When I expressed my inability to give in to her consent demands which had been continuing for a considerable period of time, she immediately showed her true colours and started exerting tremendous pressure upon me over telephone for giving in to her wrongful and exorbitant demands. It is pertinent to mention herein that in the month of February-March, 2017, she informed me that she was suffering from Lymphoma and again demanded money for her treatment. Due to her threat, I was compelled to make a payment of Rs 2.25 lakhs on July 20, 2017,” it read.

It further read, “I was left with no other choice but to distance myself from her, as a result of which she got more furious and vindictive and went to the extent of giving me threat calls. She also demanded Rs 50 Lakhs by October 15, 2017. She also threatened to lodge a false complaint against me if I fail to deliver the amount or if I marry anyone else other than her. Out of fear, I transferred another sum of Rs 2.5 Lakhs on October 4, 2017. I strongly apprehend that such malicious acts of hers are politically motivated and backed by influential political persons in order to cause harm to my life, property, career and reputation. Please take necessary action and rescue me from her evil clutches.”

On September 17, the CPI (M) expelled Ritabrata Bandopadhyay from the primary membership for grave anti-party activities, including ‘moral degeneration in relation to women’.

Besides ‘moral degeneration in relation to women’, the other charges against Ritabrata include continuous leakage of internal party matters and discussions to the media, serious inconsistencies between his income and expenditure and leading a lavish life incompatible with the member of the Party.