Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee has sought additional time to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged signature mismatches on official documents submitted to the West Bengal Assembly. The case involves complaints raised by some Trinamool MLAs alleging that signatures of several legislators were forged, prompting a formal probe by the state’s investigative agency.
According to officials, the CID had earlier issued a notice directing Banerjee to appear at its South Kolkata office for interrogation after he failed to attend questioning on June 1. A fresh directive required him to present himself by noon on Monday. However, instead of appearing in person, Banerjee sent a formal communication requesting additional time to comply with the summons, citing his unavailability.
Sources indicated that Banerjee travelled to New Delhi over the weekend to attend a meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc, which was scheduled for Monday. His departure from Kolkata came shortly before the deadline set by the CID, with state police officials reportedly noting that his absence made it unlikely he would appear as directed. His request for more time was formally submitted while he was in the national capital.
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The communication sent to the CID reportedly mentioned his presence in New Delhi and also referred to a pending legal matter before the Calcutta High Court. Banerjee has challenged the CID summons in court and sought protection from any coercive action, including arrest, in connection with the investigation. The matter is scheduled to be heard on June 10 by a single-judge vacation bench.
The legal proceedings add another layer to the ongoing dispute, as Banerjee had also previously sought an expedited hearing on his petition. However, the court declined the request for a fast-track listing and fixed the next hearing date for June 10, leaving the summons issue pending judicial review. The outcome of the hearing is expected to have a bearing on the CID investigation timeline.
The case continues to draw political attention due to its involvement of senior leadership from the ruling Trinamool Congress and the allegations surrounding forged signatures within the state legislature. CID officials have not commented further on the investigation, while developments in both the legal and political arenas are being closely monitored.
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