A CID team, accompanied by police personnel and central forces, reached the Kalighat residence-cum-party office of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
in Kolkata on Tuesday as part of its probe into the alleged signature forgery case that has triggered a major political storm within the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The development comes shortly after the CID summoned TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the investigation. However, the agency's search was confined to the party's central office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street, where signatures of legislators were allegedly collected. Officials of the state investigating agency arrived at the premises along with personnel from Kalighat Police Station and a sizeable contingent of women police officers. The visit was linked to allegations that signatures of several TMC MLAs were forged on a proposal submitted to the West Bengal Assembly Speaker seeking recognition of the Leader of Opposition. According to officials, the CID's latest move was prompted by a response submitted by Abhishek Banerjee to an earlier notice. In his reply, Banerjee reportedly stated that signatures of legislators had been collected at the TMC's central office in Kalighat. Investigators initially faced resistance while attempting to enter the premises, leading to a brief standoff with security personnel. Earlier in the day, senior TMC leader Subhasish Chakraborty had said that the party would not permit a search operation in Abhishek Banerjee's absence. However, the situation changed later as the CID returned with a larger police presence. Senior officers were seen interacting with security staff before the investigating team entered the premises and began its verification exercise. In a parallel development, another CID team visited Abhishek Banerjee's office on Camac Street as part of the ongoing probe. The controversy centres around allegations that signatures of several TMC legislators were forged on a proposal backing senior party leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for the post of Leader of Opposition. The claims prompted the registration of an FIR and the launch of a CID investigation. The alleged forgery row has unfolded amid a broader leadership dispute within the TMC, making it one of the most significant internal challenges faced by the party in recent years.
