Police on Saturday booked Calcutta University's Zoology professor Arindam Bhattacharya based on a case that was lodged against him for allegedly threatening on social media to kill West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said an official.
According to a senior police officer, PhD scholar Tamal Dutta filed the complaint against Prof. Bhattacharya on the basis of which, the case was registered at the Hare Street police station.
Murlidhar Sharma, the joint commissioner of police (crime) said that police booked Bhattacharya under IPC sections 505 (1B) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public), 506 (threat be to cause death or grievous hurt) and 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy).
Advertisement
The professor is yet to be taken into custody, police said.
When contacted, Bhattacharya said, "I didn't make any comments against the chief minister. The complainant is a Trinamool Congress supporter. I am waiting for the police to take steps and only after that I will seek legal advice on this."
The TMC-backed West Bengal College and University Professors Association criticised the posts shared by the professor on social media.
On a similar incident, Jadavpur University's Chemistry professor Ambikesh Mahapatra was apprehended by police in April 2012 for allegedly forwarding a cartoon, mocking CM Mamata Banerjee.
(With PTI Inputs)
