A fresh political controversy erupted in West Bengal on Saturday after officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) served a notice on Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the ongoing investigation into the alleged “Assembly Signature Scandal”.
CID officials visited Banerjee’s residences on Harish Mukherjee Road and Kalighat Road in Kolkata and served him a notice directing him to appear at the agency’s headquarters at Bhabani Bhawan at noon on Monday.
According to reports, investigators first reached his Harish Mukherjee Road residence as part of the probe into alleged discrepancies in signatures submitted to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. However, a party worker informed them that Banerjee was not at home and that his wife and children were also away. The worker said he could not disclose the TMC leader’s whereabouts.
Shortly after the officials’ visit, TMC leader and MLA Kunal Ghosh claimed that Banerjee was at his residence on Rammohan Roy Road. Reports also suggested that the MP had earlier visited Beliaghata to meet the family of a party worker who allegedly died in post-poll violence.
Later in the day, Banerjee was seen at another residence on Kalighat Road, where CID officials subsequently served him the notice.
Speaking to reporters, Banerjee confirmed receiving the communication from the investigating agency.
“I am yet to go through the details of the notice. I will speak to my lawyers in this regard,” he said.
The investigation relates to allegations surrounding a letter submitted to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly concerning the selection of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay in Assembly-related proceedings. Questions have been raised over the authenticity of the signatures of several MLAs on the document, with claims that some may have been forged.
Sources said the CID has begun verifying the genuineness of the signatures and has already visited several legislators in connection with the case, including Chandranath Sinha and Nayna Banerjee. Investigators have also examined relevant documents and recorded statements regarding the circumstances under which the signatures were collected.
According to sources, the controversy stems from a letter initially submitted to the Assembly by Banerjee in his capacity as TMC national general secretary. The document was later returned by the Speaker, following which doubts reportedly surfaced over the validity of certain signatures on a subsequent submission.
With the CID widening its inquiry and political leaders trading claims and counterclaims, the alleged Assembly signature scandal has emerged as a major political flashpoint in West Bengal.
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