Lagnajita row: Cops slap attempt to murder case on school owner

Contai: Police on Monday slapped a charge of attempted murder on the school co-owner, who threatened singer Lagnajita Chakraborty.Accused Mehebub Mallick allegedly assaulted and threatened the singer during a performance at his school at Bhagabanpur in East Midnapore. After Lagnajita lodged a police complaint, the district police conducted overnight raids and caught Mallick from his residence. Mallick was booked under sections 74 (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the BNS.
When he was produced before the Contai Sub-divisional Court on Monday, the prosecution sought a seven-day remand to investigate if there was a deeper provocation behind the sudden outburst. After hearing both sides, the judge rejected Mallick's bail plea and remanded him in police custody for four days. Lagnajita was invited to perform at the annual function of the private school, coowned by Mallick. According to the complaint lodged by the singer, trouble began after she sang ‘Joy Maa', a popular track from the film, ‘Devi Chowdhurani'. According to Lagnajita, Mallick aggressively got on the stage, close to her, and said, "Anek jago Maa hoyeche, ebar secular kichu gaa (Enough of Jago Maa, now sing something secular)". Lagnajita got off the stage and subsequently lodged a police complaint.East Midnapore police superintendent Mithun De told reporters: "This is an unfortunate incident. The moment we came to know of it, we decided to arrest Mallick. We were carrying out raids as he went absconding." A departmental probe has been started against Bhagwanpur OC Shahenshah Haque. "We are in touch with the singer. According to what she told us, we thought that the approach of the police station could have been better. A departmental inquiry has been initiated... The incident could have been handled in a better way," added De. Police said they would seize the video footage of the event and record statements of all witnesses, including Lagnajita. After Mallick was sent to police custody, TOI tried to reach Lagnajita on Monday but she did not respond.Debunking BJP allegations that Mallick had Trinamool links, Trinamool's Bhagwanpur block president Rabin Chandra Mandal said Mallik was a private school owner and a businessman with no link to the party.

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