The bad days of state urban development minister Firhad Hakim are yet to be over even though chief minister Mamata Banerjee has clipped his wings. In what could only add fuel to the controversy surrounding him, fresh allegations have surfaced against him of verbally abusing a senior IPS officer of the Kolkata police into the Garden Reach episode.
The incident had taken place soon after special branch sub-inspector Tapas Chowdhury was gunned down during the clash and was declared brought dead at a private hospital off Diamond Harbour Road on February 12.
The then police commissioner, R.K. Pachnanda had rushed to the hospital with additional commissioner of police (III) Debashish Roy and other senior police officers.
In the meantime, Mr Hakim after visiting the spot of violence reached the hospital along with Trinamul Congress councillor of ward number 134 Mohammed Iqbal alias Munna whose role in the violence had already became evident by then.
According to sources, the additional commissioner of police told the minister that Mr Iqbal’s involvement in the incident was quite clear and there were sufficient evidence against him.
Mr Roy had alerted Mr Hakim that his company with Mr Iqbal may lead to trouble for him, sources disclosed. This, however, did not go down well with Mr Hakim. Furious at his suggestion, he misbehaved with him in front of others, including Mr Pachnanda, a senior police disclosed on condition of anonymity.
His outburst stunned Mr Roy and others present at the scene. Scolding him, Mr Hakim even cautioned him of sticking to his brief, the officer revealed. Angry over the minister’s remarks, the police officers sought Mr Pachnanda’s intervention.
The top brass of the city police then complained to the Writers’ Buildings drawing the state secretariat’s attention towards the incident.
When contacted on Sunday, Mr Roy, however, said: “I will not make any comment on this matter.” Mr Hakim was unavailable for his comments.