DGP's mobile seized on the direction of WB Assembly Speaker

The DGP was present in the officer's gallery along with state Home Secretary Samar Ghosh, Kolkata Police Commissioner Goutam Mohan Chakraborty and some other officials during discussion on the Home (Police) budget in the Assembly in the presence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

The incident took place when the House witnessed uproarious scenes following some comments made by the ruling party bench directed at Congress-supported Independent candidate Apurba Sarkar while he was speaking during the debate. Unhappy with the gesture and comments of the ruling party members, opposition Congress members shouted in protest. They also went down to the well.

At this time Bhuniya complained to the Speaker that Singh had clicked photographs of the proceedings on his mobile phone camera when Congress members were protesting against the behaviour of the ruling party members.

Halim asked Government Chief Whip Syed Md Masiha to ask the state's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sailen Sarkar, who was not present in the House, to seize the cell phone of the DGP, examine it if there was anything objectionable and submit a report during the first hour on Friday.

Describing the DGP's act as unprecedented in the House, Bhuniya alleged that Singh had done it to serve the purpose of the ruling party. Bhuniya again raised the issue when the chief minister was replying to the debates on his department's budget, but was stopped by the Speaker who ruled the matter would be heard before the Question hour on Friday.

Singh later handed over his cell phone to the authorities.