The court allowed investigators to continue their probe while directing the TMC MP to cooperate and appear for questioning as required.
File image: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee | ANI
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee interim protection from arrest in the alleged signature forgery case, while directing him to appear before the CID for questioning at 6 pm.
The relief comes as the investigation into alleged forged signatures on a proposal linked to the appointment of the Leader of Opposition deepens, adding to the political turbulence within the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
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Hearing Banerjee’s petition, Justice Kaushik Chandra ordered that no coercive action be taken against the Diamond Harbour MP for the next three weeks. The court, however, made it clear that Banerjee must cooperate fully with investigators and present himself before the CID’s Kolkata office for questioning after returning from Delhi.
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The court observed that the investigating agency would be free to conduct search and seizure operations in accordance with the law if required for the probe.
“This court is of the view that for securing documents the investigating agency is at liberty to do search and seizure as per law,” the judge said, while directing that no coercive steps be taken against Banerjee during the protection period.
The court further said that if additional interrogation is required, the agency must issue a 24-hour notice before summoning him.
“The petitioner shall cooperate with the agency and the agency is at liberty to interrogate him, for which the petitioner shall meet the agency as and when required,” the court said, posting the matter for hearing after two weeks.
The controversy centres on a proposal seeking recognition of senior Trinamool leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition. The document allegedly contained forged signatures of several party legislators.
The proposal was reportedly prepared following a meeting at the residence of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Two Trinamool MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, subsequently alleged that the resolution was “manufactured and fabricated” and flagged 14 signatures as questionable.
Their complaint led to the registration of a police case and a CID investigation. As part of the probe, investigators have carried out searches at Mamata Banerjee’s residence and Abhishek Banerjee’s office.
The party later expelled both MLAs, citing alleged anti-party activities. The action came shortly after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari publicly disclosed their identities.
The case has emerged at a time when the Trinamool Congress is grappling with one of its biggest political crises in recent years. The party’s defeat in the May 4 Assembly elections, which brought the BJP to power in West Bengal for the first time, has triggered open dissent and factionalism within its ranks.
In the weeks since the loss, internal differences have increasingly played out in public, with several MPs indicating they may part ways with the party and back the BJP-led NDA.
Following Thursday’s High Court order, Banerjee is expected to appear before the CID at its Kolkata office at 6 pm. Sources said the investigating agency chose not to pursue an immediate arrest and instead proceeded in line with the court’s directions.
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