Tanmoy Bhattacharya denies harassment allegations, calls them "planned slander" after interrogation by CPM committee

Tanmoy Bhattacharya, a former Left Front MLA, was questioned by the CPM’s internal complaints committee (ICC) on Saturday regarding allegations of harassment made by a woman journalist. Bhattacharya was summoned to CPM’s Alimuddin Street office, where he faced a 90-minute grilling by the three-member ICC panel, consisting of Anju Kar, Sumit Dey, and Shyamali Pradhan. The former MLA, who wore a Tilottama badge during the session, was asked to respond to the detailed charges leveled against him.

The allegations surfaced in late October, when a woman journalist accused Bhattacharya of harassing her during an interview at his residence. According to the journalist, Bhattacharya allegedly sat on her lap without consent before the interview began. The journalist claimed that she had visited Bhattacharya’s home to conduct the interview. After the incident, she filed a formal complaint at Baranagar police station, accusing the former MLA of inappropriate conduct. As a result of the serious allegations, CPM suspended Bhattacharya and set up an internal committee to investigate the matter.

The internal committee questioned Bhattacharya extensively about the sequence of events surrounding the interview. The committee members inquired about the date and time of the interview, how long the journalist had been at his residence, and whether Bhattacharya had interacted with her before. Bhattacharya was also asked if he had previously been involved in any similar incidents with the journalist or other individuals. The committee focused on understanding the details of the interaction, including whether anyone else was present when the alleged incident occurred.

In his defense, Bhattacharya denied all the harassment claims, describing them as part of a premeditated attempt to damage his reputation. Bhattacharya drew attention to a specific point raised in the police complaint, where the journalist had mentioned that her camera was ready for the interview. Bhattacharya questioned why, if the camera had been set up, no video was recorded of the incident. He further questioned the decision not to show the filmed interview, raising doubts about the authenticity of the allegations.

Bhattacharya called the charges a "planned slander," implying that the accusations were fabricated with an ulterior motive. Although he did not name any individuals who may have orchestrated the claims, Bhattacharya suggested that once the responsible parties were identified, the reasoning behind the false allegations would become clearer. He also confirmed that he had answered all the questions posed to him during the investigation and had provided the necessary information to the committee.

Following the interrogation, Bhattacharya indicated that he would address his grievances within the party once his suspension was lifted. He clarified that he had not yet had an opportunity to speak to the party committee about the matter, as the suspension prevented him from doing so. CPM state secretary Mohammad Selim confirmed that the internal investigation would continue, but as of now, no final conclusion had been reached. Bhattacharya remains suspended from the party pending the committee’s findings.