In a major embarrassment for the West Bengal government and to India, senior journalists who were accompanying West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on a tour to London, were caught stealing cutlery in a luxury hotel. Caught live on CCTV camera, the hotel staff was perplexed as they saw the live footage of the journalists accompanying an elected representative from India who were attending an official dinner, stealthily stuff the silverware from the table and putting into their bags and purses. Other prominent citizens from India and the UK, including politicians, journalists and industrialists were also present during the dinner.
The Indian journalists, who were caught stealing the cutlery, were reportedly handpicked by the organizers. As per reports, one of the first things to be flicked off the table was a dessert spoon by a very prominent senior journalist, a reporter with a respected Bengali newspaper. The said reporter, whose name could not be confirmed, is reportedly a regular on Banerjee’s tours. Following the senior journalist’s footsteps, many other journalists then tried to flick the silverware off their tables, without realising their act was being caught on camera. A Bengali reporter, commenting on the embarrassing act by the journalists, took a dig at Mamata Banerjee and said that they must have thought the cameras were not working, as often that is the case with Bengal.
After much deliberations, the hotel security staff decided to confront the journalists and inform them that their act was caught on camera and that they must return the cutlery. While most returned the items they had stolen, one journalist even refused to accept that he had stolen anything and even dared to ask the hotel staff to check his pockets. What he didn’t realise is that while he stole the goodies from the table and stuffed his colleague’s bag with it, hoping to pin the blame on him in case he gets caught, the entire thing was caught on camera.
That was when the hotel staff put their foot down and threatened him that they will report the crime to police. The journalist then confessed to flicking the cutlery and he was eventually let off after he was asked to pay a fine of 50 pounds. It is reported that the said journalist has a history of flicking silverware and other goodies from the hotel. Without naming him, the reports say that he is a son of a well known Bengali author who has no merit as a journalist and used his father’s connections to land in the job.
Meanwhile, Twitter was abuzz with people mocking the journalists.
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
Some even speculated the names of the journalists who were caught in the act (no pun intended).
Senior Journalist Dipankar Nandi of Aajkal News & Deobash Bhattacharya of Anand Bajar Patrika accompanying Bengal C.M. Mamata Banerjee to London during Official Visit Caught Stealing Silver Cutlery By Hotel Staff During Dinner, Fined with £50.
New Kind Of Journalism!!…
— IIN ( उत्तय पयदेस ) (@SamarG_Uvaach) January 9, 2018
The names first appeared in a report published in ABP Bangla, which has now mysteriously disappeared.
So @aajbangla removed Story from their website after it went viral, that Journo Deobashish Bhattacharya & dipankar Nandi Stole Silver Cutlery in London ?? pic.twitter.com/60aD8AREz5
— IIN ( उत्तय पयदेस ) (@SamarG_Uvaach) January 10, 2018
Fork Chor.
Yes you heard it right. A gang of usual suspects from Bengali Media from Kolkata accompanying CM West Bengal @MamataOfficial to London allegedly stole silver cutleries, got caught, threatened to be reported to cops and let off only NOT to embarrass the TMC supremo. pic.twitter.com/59SCmiWLpV
— Anindya (@AninBanerjeeeee) January 9, 2018
Considering their ingenuity, one wishes they’d have tried to bring back the Kohinoor instead.
