Kolkata, Oct 27 (IANS): The West Bengal unit of CPI-M, on Sunday, announced the suspension of veteran party leader and former party legislator Tanmay Bhattacharya on grounds of sexual harassment.

The suspension comes in the wake of a female reporter attached to an independent YouTube news channel, made a Facebook live video, accusing Bhattacharya of making “sexually inappropriate” behaviour with her while she went to his residence to interview him.

She also claimed that she has become mentally shattered because of the incident and also demanded action from the CPI-M leadership against Bhattacharya in the matter,

“CPI-M always takes such complaints quite seriously. The party does not endorse such an alleged action on the part of Tanmay Bhattacharya with a female journalist who was there because of her professional compulsions. Such actions do not fall in line with the expectations of the CPI-M leadership from their party workers and sympathisers,” said the statement issued by the CPI-M.

The party has also maintained that such charges against Tanmay Bhattacharya have tarnished the image of the party in public.

“Considering the gravity of the allegations, Tanmay Bhattacharya has been suspended from the party. The allegations of the female journalist have been forwarded to the internal complaints committee of the party. Future actions will be taken on the basis its recommendations,” it said.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M politburo member and the party’s state secretary in West Bengal Md Salim has confirmed that Bhattacharya will remain suspended from the party till the time the internal complaints committee will submit its reports in the matter.

“Next actions will be taken as per the recommendation of the committee,” said Salim.