&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Forged signature case: CID searches offices of Trinamool Congress and Abhishek Banerjee")
The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Tuesday conducted searches at the Trinamool Congress’s central party office in Kolkata’s Kalighat and at the office of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Camac Street as part of its investigation into the alleged signature forgery case.
The searches came as Abhishek Banerjee skipped a third summons issued by the CID, citing his absence from the city and pending proceedings before the Calcutta High Court.
Around 30 CID officers, accompanied by personnel from the Kalighat Police Station and central forces, reached the TMC office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in the afternoon. The premises, just adjacent to the residence of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, also serve as the party’s central office.
“In his response, Abhishek Banerjee stated that signatures of MLAs were collected at the party’s central office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street. Based on that statement, we have come here as part of the investigation,” a CID officer said.
CID officers prevented from entering initially, had to wait outside
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Sources said CID officers were initially prevented from entering the premises and had to wait outside for nearly an hour. TMC treasurer and former MP Subhasish Chakraborty told the officers that both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee were in New Delhi and that he could not permit entry without their authorisation.
Officers told Chakraborty that he cannot stop them from entering, and the team subsequently went in. The entire process was videographed, and officers were searched before entering the building.
The CID officer also searched Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street after facing initial resistance there as well.
Investigators are probing allegations that signatures of several TMC MLAs were forged on a letter sent to Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, endorsing Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay’s selection as the Leader of Opposition (LoP). Rebel TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha filed a complaint alleging that a resolution adopted on May 6 was fabricated and that signatures of several legislators on the document were forged.
Investigation was handed over to CID after FIR
After a preliminary inquiry by the Assembly Secretariat, an FIR was registered at Hare Street Police Station and the investigation was subsequently handed over to CID.
CID has so far recorded statements of 13 TMC MLAs. Three of them, Baharul Islam, Arup Roy, and Subhasis Das, have reportedly disowned the signatures attributed to them on the document.
Abhishek Banerjee reportedly wrote to CID seeking more time, stating that the matter is pending before the Calcutta High Court and is scheduled to be heard on June 10. He also told investigators that he was in New Delhi for political engagements.
He has challenged the CID summons before the Calcutta High Court. His counsel had earlier moved the vacation bench seeking relief against the notices issued by the investigating agency.
