The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee to appear before the state CID by 6 pm in connection with its probe into the alleged forgery of signatures of two party MLAs, while granting him interim protection from any coercive action for three weeks.
Justice Kausik Chanda, hearing Banerjee's plea seeking protection from coercive action and quashing of the FIR registered in the case, directed the Diamond Harbour MP to appear before investigators at the CID headquarters, Bhabani Bhaban, for questioning. Banerjee's counsel informed the court that the MP was scheduled to arrive in Kolkata from Delhi around 4 pm. The matter will be heard again after two weeks.
The Diamond Harbour MP had moved the high court after the CID conducted a search at his office on Tuesday in his absence. His counsel, Kalyan Banerjee, had sought urgent intervention from the court, alleging that investigative action was being taken against the TMC leader.
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The case relates to allegations that the signatures of two Trinamool Congress legislators were forged on a party resolution appointing Ballygunge MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
The controversy centres around a meeting called by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence, where discussions were held regarding the naming of the Leader of Opposition. Allegations have surfaced that signatures of several MLAs were affixed on related documents despite their absence from the meeting, triggering a political storm in the state.
The CID is probing the matter on the basis of complaints lodged by MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha with the Assembly Secretariat. The Secretariat subsequently filed an FIR with Kolkata Police, which was later transferred to the CID by the state's home department for investigation.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Chanda had agreed to hear Banerjee's plea on an urgent basis after his counsel argued that the CID had carried out a raid at the MP's office.
The two legislators whose signatures were allegedly forged were later expelled from the Trinamool Congress for what the party termed "anti-party activities".
