Hearing the matter, Justice Kaushik Chandra directed Abhishek Banerjee to cooperate fully with investigators and appear before the police at its city office for questioning at 6 pm on Thursday after returning from Delhi. The court ruled that no coercive action could be taken against the Lok Sabha member during this period.
In its order, the court stated that the investigating agency was free to conduct searches and seizures in accordance with the law to secure relevant documents. However, it restrained authorities from taking coercive steps against Abhishek Banerjee for two weeks. The court further directed that if additional questioning is required, investigators must provide him with at least 24 hours' notice.
“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 observed while posting the matter for further hearing after two weeks.
The controversy stems from a proposal seeking recognition of Trinamool Congress leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition. The proposal allegedly contained forged signatures of several legislators and was reportedly drafted during a meeting at the residence of party chief and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The allegations surfaced after two Trinamool legislators, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, lodged complaints claiming that the resolution was “manufactured and fabricated.” They specifically questioned 14 of the 70 signatures included in the document.
Following the complaints, a police case was registered and an investigation was launched by the Criminal Investigation Department. As part of the probe, investigators conducted searches at Mamata Banerjee’s residence and at Abhishek Banerjee’s office.
The political fallout intensified when the Trinamool Congress expelled both Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha from the party, reportedly on charges of anti-party activities. The expulsions came minutes after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari publicly disclosed their identities.
The latest legal development comes at a time when the Trinamool Congress is grappling with a series of internal crises following its defeat in the May 4 election. The party, led by Mamata Banerjee, lost power for the first time in 15 years after being defeated by its principal rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Since the electoral setback, internal divisions and disputes within the Trinamool Congress have increasingly played out in public. The turmoil has deepened further, with at least 19 of the party’s 28 Members of Parliament reportedly expressing their intention to break away and join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition.
The High Court’s decision to grant interim protection to Abhishek Banerjee adds a significant legal dimension to an already volatile political situation, as the signature forgery investigation continues alongside mounting challenges to the Trinamool Congress leadership and unity.
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