Former IPS officer and now BJP's candidate for West Bengal's Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency, Bharati Ghosh on Saturday courted controversy as she allegedly threatened some Trinamool supporters that they would be "beaten like dogs".

"You are frightening people... You won't allow proper conduct of vote. Do not terrify people. (You) will be pulled out of homes and beaten like dog.

"I will pay them back with principal and interest what they did. I will bringring 1,000 men from UP (Uttar Pradesh) and you can't do anything. No one will be able to trace you," said Ghosh, who was recently accused of threatening the Officer-in-Charge of Keshpur police station.

But Banerjee hit back at Ghosh soon after while holding a road show on Chandrakona Road.

"Do not make me open my mouth. If I make public the SMSes that you had sent to me as a police office, I won't have to say anything more against you. You must remember, there are so many cases against you.

"Had we wished to keep you behind bars, we could have arrested you. There is Supreme Court bar on arresting you only in one case," said Banerjee who was campaigning in Ghatal constituency for the party's nominee and Bengali fimstar Dev Adhikari.

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the former IPS officer to appear for questioning before the West Bengal CID on May 14, two days after polling takes place in Ghatal.

In fact, West Bengal CID had recently interrogated the former IPS officer in an extortion case in West Midnapore district's Daspur area.

"We have shown a nice gesture and so you are contesting elections. Do not cross the Laxman rekha (limit). You do not have the power to even fight in Gram sabha elections," Banerjee said.

Condemning Ghosh's comments, Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee warned his party would lodge a complaint before the Election Commission against her, seeking cancellation of her nomination.

He accused the BJP candidate of "using her former police uniform" to threaten people and voters.

"Is she a candidate? Does an former IPS officer know how to behave," Chatterjee said.

The Election Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and sought a report from the district administration.

--IANS

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