Congress leader arrested for social media posts

Sanmoy Banerjee, a state unit spokesperson of the Congress, was arrested by Purulia police in the early hours of Friday from his Agarpara home near Calcutta on the charge of circulating “objectionable” content on social media against the Bengal government and chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Sanmoy, a four-term councillor of the Panihati municipality who unsuccessfully contested the Panihati Assembly seat as a Left-backed Congress candidate in 2016, was arrested in connection with a complaint lodged with the cyber crime wing of Purulia police by a local advocate, police sources said.

“He has been charged with various sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code. The prime charge against Sanmoy Banerjee is 505 (1)(b) of the IPC, which is non-bailable.