Court issues arrest warrant against TMC MP

KOLKATA: A city court has issued an arrest warrant against Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Prasun Banerjee for allegedly slapping a constable in January.

Bidhannagar Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate A K Ghosh directed the police to take Banerjee into custody and produce him before his court by July 17.

"Banerjee has been booked under Section 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty)," a senior police officer of the Bidhannagar Commissionerate said today.

The warrant was issued by the court yesterday as the Howrah MP failed to turn up before it on a number of occasions despite notice having been served upon him.

In January, Bidhannagar Police had booked Banerjee for allegedly slapping an on duty traffic constable at Lake Town. The constable had allegedly stopped Banerjee's car for taking a wrong turn on the busy Lake Town-VIP Road crossing.

Banerjee had denied that he had slapped the constable.