Directing Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and general secretary of the party Abhishek Banerjee to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Calcutta High Court on Thursday sought clarity on his cooperation in the ongoing probe into an alleged Assembly signature forgery case.
During the hearing, Justice Kaushik Chanda asked Banerjee’s counsel, Ayan Bhattacharya, to specify within 10 minutes when his client would present himself before investigators. Responding to the court’s directive, the lawyer informed that Banerjee would appear before the CID at 6 pm on Thursday and would comply with any summons issued between 10 am and 10 pm.
The court also ordered that no coercive legal action be taken against Banerjee without prior permission. At the same time, it granted the investigating agency the liberty to seize relevant documents and interrogate him as required. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for two weeks later, with the court directing submission of progress reports.
The case revolves around allegations of forged signatures on a resolution submitted to the Legislative Assembly. According to the CID, the document—allegedly sent by Banerjee to the Speaker—contained signatures of several MLAs, some of whom later claimed they were not present on the date mentioned.
At the outset of the hearing, Justice Chanda expressed displeasure over Banerjee’s delay in appearing before the agency. Questioning the intent, he asked why the leader was “avoiding appearance” and emphasised that he must cooperate with the investigation.
Opposing the petition, CID counsel argued that three notices had already been issued to Banerjee, all of which had lapsed, making his plea untenable. They further stated that while Banerjee could appear before the agency, there was no requirement for additional legal protection.
The investigation was initiated following complaints from two Trinamool MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, who alleged discrepancies in the signatures. Based on their complaints, the Assembly Secretariat lodged an FIR, prompting a CID probe.
Preliminary findings, according to the agency, indicate Banerjee’s involvement, raising questions about the authenticity of the resolution and the circumstances under which it was submitted. The agency has also suggested that further progress in the investigation may require custodial interrogation.
It may be recalled that Banerjee had earlier approached the High Court seeking urgent relief to prevent arrest or coercive action. However, Justice Chaitali Chatterjee Das declined to grant an immediate hearing, stating that there was no urgency in the matter.
Meanwhile, pressure on the Trinamool leader has intensified following a recent visit by CID officials to his residence, amid a widening political controversy over the alleged forgery.
With legal proceedings underway and political tensions rising, the case is expected to remain under close scrutiny in the coming days.
Follow us
