Abhishek Banerjee Gets Interim Protection From Coercive Action In TMC MLAs Signature Forgery Case

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from coercive action to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the CID probe into the alleged forgery of signatures of two party MLAs, while directing him to appear before the investigating agency at 6 pm the same day.

The order came on a petition filed by the Diamond Harbour MP seeking protection from any coercive action by the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the quashing of the FIR registered against him in the case.

During the hearing, the court observed that Banerjee could not be compelled to produce the allegedly forged document before investigators.

It held that if the CID required the document for the purpose of the investigation, it would

have to obtain it through legally sanctioned means, including search and seizure procedures available under law.

At the same time, the court directed Banerjee to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the CID at 6 pm on Thursday for questioning in connection with the case.

The matter had reached the high court on Wednesday when Banerjee’s counsel, Kalyan Banerjee, sought an urgent hearing before the bench of Justice Kausik Chanda.

The counsel submitted that the CID had conducted a raid at the TMC leader’s office on Tuesday when he was not present there.

Taking note of the plea, Justice Chanda agreed to hear the matter on Thursday.

The case stems from allegations that signatures of two Trinamool Congress legislators were forged on a party resolution related to the appointment of Ballygunge MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.

According to the complaint, MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha informed the Assembly Secretariat that their signatures appearing on the resolution had been forged.

Following their complaint, the Assembly Secretariat lodged an FIR with the Kolkata Police.

The investigation was subsequently transferred to the CID by the state’s home secretary, and the agency has since been probing the allegations.

In his petition before the high court, Abhishek Banerjee challenged the FIR and sought judicial protection against any coercive measures by the CID during the course of the investigation.

The plea came amid heightened political attention surrounding the case and the agency’s search operation at his office earlier this week.

The two legislators whose complaints triggered the criminal case were later expelled from the Trinamool Congress for what the party described as “anti-party activities”.

Thursday’s order provided temporary relief to Banerjee by shielding him from immediate coercive action while the matter remains under judicial consideration.

However, the court also made it clear that he must participate in the investigation and comply with the CID’s summons.

The high court’s observation that the investigating agency cannot compel Banerjee to produce the disputed document, and must instead secure it through legal procedures, is expected to play a significant role in the future conduct of the probe.

The matter is likely to remain under close watch as the CID continues its investigation into the alleged forgery of legislators’ signatures.