The BJP on Wednesday released a list of several properties it alleged are linked to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, intensifying the ongoing political
row in West Bengal over alleged property irregularities. The development comes amid scrutiny surrounding properties allegedly associated with the TMC national general secretary, who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Abhishek Banerjee had declared assets worth Rs 2.3 crore in movable property, liabilities of Rs 36 lakh, and an annual income of Rs 1.4 crore for FY2023 in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission. His declared investments included bank deposits, life insurance policies and other movable assets. The Trinamool Congress, however, strongly denied reports surrounding notices allegedly issued by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in connection with properties linked to Banerjee, calling the claims "false, fabricated and devoid of any credibility". In an official statement, the TMC alleged that the documents and media coverage being circulated were part of a political campaign orchestrated by the BJP. “We have come across media coverage and posts related to a KMC notice that was leaked ‘unofficially’ by the BJP - highlighting multiple properties allegedly linked to AITC National General Secretary and Hon’ble MP Shri Abhishek Banerjee while also attempting to associate other leaders with the matter,” the statement said. “The notice and the media coverage over the last few days are completely false, fabricated and devoid of any credibility,” the party added. The TMC also accused sections of the media of sharing unverified claims and urged journalists to independently verify the information. “Any journalist with a basic sense of ethics and understanding can visit the mentioned addresses or call the numbers cited in the said notice to verify the facts rather than merely propagating narratives being fed by the BJP,” the statement read. The party further warned of legal action against what it described as misleading reporting. “We urge the media fraternity to exercise sensitivity & responsibility instead of promoting such fabricated posts and stories. Any false reporting or misleading posts will be dealt with appropriately in accordance with the provisions of law before the competent court.” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale also reacted sharply to the controversy and accused the BJP of leaking the alleged document to sections of the media. In a social media post targeting a senior journalist, Gokhale wrote, “The ‘document’ he’s shared is a complete hoax and inaccurate. Has nothing to do with Abhishek Banerjee.”
“Which begs the question - what’s the ‘source’? Clearly, this c***u got it from the BJP & posted it as ordered,” he added.
Questioning why the BJP had not officially released the alleged document, Gokhale said, “If the document is real, why isn’t the BJP sharing it on record instead of using their poodle?”
The remarks come as the political battle over the KMC notices intensifies in Bengal. Notices were served to properties allegedly linked to Abhishek Banerjee, his family members and entities associated with him, including Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd, seeking building plans and related documents for scrutiny.
Earlier, Abhishek Banerjee had accused the BJP government in the state of pursuing “vendetta politics” and declared that he would not “bow down” despite the probe.
