The investigation into the controversy surrounding alleged discrepancies in signatures within the West Bengal Legislative Assembly has taken a fresh turn, as Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee failed to appear before the state CID on Monday, citing health issues.
The CID, which has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter, had summoned Banerjee to appear at its headquarters at Bhabani Bhawan at 12:00 noon. However, in a letter sent to the agency on Monday morning, the Diamond Harbour MP informed officials that he was physically unwell and unable to attend.
The investigation is linked to allegations surrounding a letter submitted to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly concerning the selection of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the House/Assembly-related proceedings. Questions have been raised about the authenticity of signatures of several MLAs on the document, with claims that some signatures may have been forged.
According to sources, the CID has begun verifying the genuineness of signatures and has already visited multiple MLAs in connection with the case, including Chandranath Sinha and Nayna Banerjee. Officials have also examined related documents and recorded details regarding the circumstances under which the signatures were collected.
The controversy reportedly traces back to a letter initially submitted to the Legislative Assembly by Banerjee in his capacity as TMC General Secretary. The document was later returned by the Speaker, after which fresh doubts emerged regarding the validity of certain signatures on a subsequent submission.
In his communication to the CID, Banerjee stated that he is under medical advice to rest and therefore cannot appear before investigators as scheduled. He also assured the agency of his full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
CID officials have indicated that the agency will review the contents of Banerjee’s letter before deciding on its next course of action. If required, a fresh date for his appearance may be issued. The investigation is currently focused on determining whether any fraud or unlawful activity is linked to the controversy surrounding the signatures.
The development has triggered strong reactions across political circles. Leaders from the BJP have described the matter as serious, emphasising the need for a fair and impartial investigation given the involvement of documents within a key democratic institution. Meanwhile, the TMC has reiterated its commitment to cooperating with the investigation in accordance with the law, while cautioning against any politically motivated actions under the pretext of the probe.
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