Now Mamata objects to CRPF deployed to protect I-T officials

Days after a row erupted over the army drill at toll plazas in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday objected to the Centre’s move to deploy CRPF personnel for providing security to Income Tax officials during search operations in the state

Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Days after a row erupted over the army drill at toll plazas in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday objected to the Centre’s move to deploy CRPF personnel for providing security to Income Tax officials during search operations in the state. Banerjee demanded that the decision be immediately revoked.

Describing the decision as “unconstitutional, illegal and against all principles of cooperative federalism”, Banerjee shot off a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in which she said deployment of any central police force to any state can only be done at the request of the state government.

'Deployment as per law'
However, the investigation wing of the Income Tax (IT) Department said the deployment of CRPF personnel during searches is as per the law.

“The number of search operations being carried out now have increased manifold and this is why we are taking help of CRPF personnel,” a senior official of the IT investigation wing said.

To a query, he said the investigation wing was also getting cooperation of West Bengal Police.

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