In her first remarks on the dubious vaccination camps case, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said “cheaters” like Debanjan Deb, who posed as an IAS officer and held at least two illegal immunisation camps in Kolkata, “are more dangerous than terrorists”. Hitting out at the BJP for its demand for a CBI probe, she said the saffron party should first investigate the alleged financial irregularities in Ayodhya land purchase by the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
“These cheaters are more dangerous than terrorists. Whoever has helped Debanjan Deb will face strong action. I will appeal to people to stay away from such cheaters. Police and corporation cannot shrug off its accountability, I feel so. I have alerted police too. They must carry out more surprise visits so that such incidents can be prevented,” she said while addressing mediapersons at the state secretariat.
“One has not forgotten how terrorists had entered the Parliament building using red-beacon vehicles. These people are not human,” she said.
The chief minister hit back at the BJP for demanding investigation by a Central agency and alleging TMC leaders’ links to the alleged fraud. “They should first seek a CBI probe into the Ram mandir land dispute case,” she said.
After Deb’s arrest last week, his pictures with TMC leaders were being circulated on social media.
Banerjee said, “These pictures prove nothing. There are several people who come and click pictures with us. In many instance, people request me for photos at airports, but I always refuse. People take selfies sometimes even without consent,” she said.
She ruled out the state government’s role in forging documents. “This man had so much courage that he had faked all government documents. The government has no role in this. Many people come and tell other to put their money in chit fund schemes. Simple people put money in it and don’t get returns. There are some people like that. They look smart and keep cheating. Beware of them,” she said.
Banerjee said that such “fraudsters” sometimes forge signatures of even chief minister and prime minister.
The chief minister said she had spoken to actor and TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty, who had fallen ill days after being given a vaccine shot at the Kasba camp organised by Deb. “Mimi is unwell. I have also spoken to her. She also has a gall bladder issue,” said Banerjee.
