Kolkata, Aug 6: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Akhil Giri as the Correctional Home Minister, an official said.
He has kept open the avenues for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to investigate the legislator's alleged misconduct against woman official of the forest department, following which the ruling TMC asked Giri to resign as minister.
"The governor has accepted the resignation of Akhil Giri, minister of state (Independent charge), Department of Correctional Administration. The file was sent to the Raj Bhavan on Monday," the official said.
This, however, shall not be construed as absolving him of the responsibility of misconduct against a woman public servant.
"The CM may exercise her option to initiate an enquiry into the alleged misconduct of Giri so as to reestablish public faith in the system," the Raj Bhavan said in a post on X.
On Monday, Giri resigned from his chair, a day after the Trinamool Congress leadership asked him to step down from the ministry and apologise to a forest department woman official for threatening and verbally abusing her.
The TMC MLA from Ramnagar, however, said that he would not apologise to any official.
Giri, who has been with the TMC since it was founded in 1998, said he would write in detail to the CM regarding the events that led to his losing cool.
On Sunday, Giri, flanked by locals, was seen in videos threatening forest ranger Manisha Sahu, warning her of reducing her tenure after she and her team removed encroachments on forest department land near Tajpur beach.
Incidentally, two years back in 2022, Giri's controversial remarks on President Droupadi Murmu were severely criticised.
Party supremo and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had to apologise for Giri's "derogatory remark" on Murmu after a massive uproar by the opposition.
FAQ
— Raj Bhavan Media Cell (@BengalGovernor) August 6, 2024
Q. We would like to know what action has been taken by Raj Bhavan on the reported resignation of Shri Akhil Giri, Minister.
Ans.
The file, regarding acceptance of resignation of Shri Akhil Giri, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Correctional…
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Sidhi (MP) (PTI): A BJP leader from Sidhi district in Madhya Pradesh was arrested on Tuesday on charges of raping a woman leader and extorting money, police said.
The BJP immediately expelled him from the party after he was arrested.
The FIR stated that the victim, also a BJP leader, was allegedly raped under the pretext of giving her a party ticket. The accused allegedly filmed the video of the incident and used it to extort money.
The accused, Ajitpal Singh Chouhan, also threatened to kill the woman's husband and forced her father-in-law to give money by showing him the obscene video, the FIR stated.
Chouhan was booked on January 13 under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 64 (1) (rape), 308 (5) (extortion by putting someone in fear of death or grievous hurt), 296 (obscene act) and 351 (3) (criminal intimidation).
Sidhi district BJP president Dev Kumar Singh expelled Ajitpal Singh Chouhan from the primary membership of the party.