Kolkata: Anusua Saha (38), a resident of SN Roy Road in New Alipore, who was arrested by Kalighat police on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to murder former chief minister Mamata Banerjee near her residence on Tuesday evening, was granted bail by an Alipore court later in the day.Police commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand on Wednesday dismissed allegations that Banerjee was attacked by a woman outside her residence while on her way to inaugurate a Durga Puja close to her Kalighat residence, saying the complaint had “no substance or truth”. Nand said the woman knew Banerjee, and that even her father knew the former chief minister.“There is an arrest in this case. The lady civic volunteer is absent from duty for a year. She knew the former CM as she had done her duty earlier at Balaram Bose Ghat (close to Banerjee residence). It was not an attack, the civic volunteer only wanted to meet her but it looked otherwise to the supporters who thought she might be attacked. The security personnel present took her to the police station based on prevailing situation. The woman has been arrested but the allegation is false. There is no substance or truth on allegation of attack,” said Nand.The cops stated that Saha was repeatedly questioned on her motive and whether she was carrying a knife with her to carry out the attack. “While she denied carrying a knife, we could not ascertain talking to others and checking CCTV footage if she indeed carried a weapon with her,” said a police source at Lalbazar.Diamond Harbour MP and the national general secretary of the Mamata faction of Trinamool Congress, Abhishek Banerjee, countered the claims. “It is a deeply unfortunate incident. Not only was Mamata Banerjee, a former CM, targeted, but she is also a woman. The way someone advanced with a knife was alarming, and the current CM claims to provide Z+ security to his predecessor. If this is what Z+ security looks like, then what protection do ordinary people have?” asked Abhishek on Wednesday.Cops claimed that Saha – a Kolkata police civic volunteer who was posted at West Port police station at present after being inducted in the force in 2011 – had stopped attending office from Nov last year. “During questioning, Saha insisted she wanted to let know of her grievance to the former CM and carried no other intention. It is too early to comment on whether she was into any addiction,” said the police source.Kalighat Police had registered an FIR under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 352 BNS (intentional Insult with Intent to Provoke Breach of Peace).
