TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee appeared before the West Bengal CID headquarters in Kolkata after a court directive in the legislators’ signature mismatch case. The Calcutta High Court granted him interim protection from arrest for 21 days while directing him to cooperate fully with investigators during questioning.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters of the West Bengal Police on Thursday evening in connection with the ongoing investigation into the legislators’ signature mismatch case.
His appearance came after a strong directive from the Calcutta High Court, which ordered him to present himself before CID investigators by 6 p.m. on Thursday. The order was issued by the single-judge vacation bench of Justice Kaushik Chanda, which observed that Banerjee had already avoided three previous summonses issued by the investigating agency.
The court made it clear that any further attempt to evade questioning would not be tolerated and directed the Trinamool Congress leader to cooperate fully with the investigation. At the same time, the court granted him interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, for a period of 21 days.
When the court delivered its order, Abhishek Banerjee was in New Delhi. Following the directive, he immediately returned to Kolkata to comply with the court’s instructions. After landing at Kolkata Airport at around 4 p.m., Banerjee first visited his residence on Kalighat Road before heading to Bhabani Bhavan, the CID headquarters located in South Kolkata.
According to officials, Banerjee reached the CID office at approximately 5:55 p.m., just five minutes before the deadline set by the High Court. Upon arrival, he signed the visitors’ register and entered the premises. However, he did not respond to questions from media personnel who had gathered outside the building awaiting his arrival.
The legislators’ signature mismatch case has drawn considerable political attention in West Bengal, with investigators examining allegations related to discrepancies in signatures connected to elected representatives. The CID has been conducting a detailed probe to establish the facts surrounding the matter.
During the hearing earlier in the day, the High Court emphasized the importance of cooperation with the investigation and instructed Banerjee to assist CID officials whenever required. The court further stated that investigators would be free to carry out search and raid operations if deemed necessary for the progress of the probe.
Legal observers noted that while the interim protection shields Banerjee from immediate arrest, it does not prevent the CID from questioning him or pursuing other investigative measures. The protection is intended to ensure his participation in the investigation while safeguarding his legal rights during the ongoing proceedings.
Banerjee’s appearance before the CID is being viewed as a significant development in the case, particularly after repeated non-appearances had prompted judicial intervention. The outcome of the questioning and subsequent steps by investigators are expected to be closely watched by both political observers and legal experts in the coming days.
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The investigation into the signature mismatch allegations continues, with the CID expected to examine all relevant evidence and statements as part of its efforts to determine whether any wrongdoing occurred.
