Reports of journalists from Kolkata, who accompanied West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to London, being caught stealing and fined £50 have dominated the conversations on social media platforms.
Such reports have been appearing in Bengali newspapers, but the Outlook website became the first English website to carry a detailed report on Tuesday.
According to Outlook, the embarrassing development took place at a luxury hotel in London, where the Bengal CM was the VVIP guest. While the guests were having dinner, few journalists were caught on CCTV stealing cutlery items.
According to some reports, the first one to initiate the stealing was a senior journalist with a Bengali newspaper. This journalist in question reportedly often travelled with Banerjee on her foreign tours.
Journalists were later apprehended by security staff of the hotel since they were monitoring them through the CCTV cameras. According to Outlook report, while every journalist surrendered their ‘loot,’ one journalist ‘refused to admit that he had stolen anything and even dared the staff to search his pockets.’
He was threatened with police action if he did not cooperate. He eventually confessed to his crime and was let off after paying a fine of 50 pounds.
The topic has dominated the conversations on social media. Here are some reactions;
Journos accompanying Mamta Banerjee to London, stole cutlery during official dinner meets! Caught on camera, they were not only made to return the stolen items, but also fined £50.
What a shame!!!#Didi and her #ChorBrigade— Piku ?? (@TheSherni) January 9, 2018
Presstitutes from #Bengal are cutlery chor Stole Cutlery while accompaning CM Mamata Banerjee on London Trip Caught fined €50 pic.twitter.com/P4js0DejRG
— Chayan Chatterjee (@Satyanewshi) January 9, 2018
Journalist on trip to London with Mamata Banerjee steal silver cutlery at official dinner, fined £50@sudhirchaudhary is that you?
— काव्या त्रिवेदी (@KavyaaAgain) January 9, 2018
How cheap Pro Mamta people can get! Journalists on trip to London with Mamata Banerjee steal silver cutlery at official dinner, fined £50 . Same on such leader and Journalist who same nation outside country.
— khemchand sharma (@SharmaKhemchand) January 9, 2018
Is this true @MamataOfficial@derekobrienmp ?@Outlookindia article does have guts to put it on after viral reports in Bengali publications!
Senior Journalists Accompanying Mamata To London Steal Silver Cutlery During Official Dinner Meet, Fined £50 https://t.co/VlVKtdT9gl— Sriniwaas Manur ?? (@ABODEofLAKSHMI) January 9, 2018