Kolkata: Nineteen months after the death of former police officer Pankaj Dutta, his wife, Indrani Dutta, has lodged a complaint at Lake Town Police Station accusing 11 people, including journalists, police officers, politicians and rights activists, of criminal defamation, forgery and criminal intimidation, alleging that their actions drove her husband to death.In the complaint, Indrani alleged that the controversy stemmed from a public convention held at Presidency University following the RG Kar rape and murder. During his speech on security at RG Kar, Dutta had referred to Sonagachhi. She claimed that a portion of his remarks was selectively edited and circulated on social media, stripping it of context and making only an isolated segment go viral.She further alleged that Dutta was subsequently targeted during television debates, where representatives of various parties and others made defamatory remarks against him, leading to sustained public vilification and social ostracism.According to the plaint, Dutta was summoned to Burtolla PS on Oct 6, 2024, where he was allegedly kept waiting for hours and subjected to mental harassment and ill-treatment.Dutta suffered a cerebral attack 17 days later and died. His wife has alleged that the relentless mental pressure, public humiliation and social boycott faced by him and the family contributed to his death, and has sought criminal action against those named in the plaint.
