PIL seeking suo motu police FIR registration against Tapas Pal filed

KOLKATA: A PIL was filed before the Calcutta High Court today seeking suo motu registration of FIR by the West Bengal Police and penal action against Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal who is in the eye of a storm over his derogatory comments against women.

Samit Sanyal, a lawyer, filed the petition before the high court, praying that the state police take suo motu action and register an FIR against Pal, who has tendered a written apology to his party and the media for his remarks.

He prayed that the court take cognizance of the MP's comments and direct the West Bengal government to take action against Pal, senior counsel Subrata Mukhopadhyay, who would represent Sanyal in court, said.

It was also prayed before the court that as Pal has said in his letter of apology that the incident occurred during the campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the Election Commission be asked to take action against him, who was re-elected from Krishnagar seat.

"Some remarks made by me in the heat and dust of the election campaign have caused dismay and consternation. I apologise unreservedly for them," Pal said in the letter circulated yesterday.

Pal tendered an unconditional apology for his threat to kill CPI-M workers and unleash "his boys" to rape their women after he was asked by an embarrassed party leadership to do so following widespread outrage.