Signature forgery case: Calcutta High Court directs Abhishek Banerjee to appear before CID

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TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. File | Photo Credit: PTI

Calcutta High Court directed Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Bidhan Sabha signature scam probe on Thursday (June 11, 2026) at 6 p.m.

Also read | TMC moves Calcutta HC over CID search of party office adjacent to Mamata’s residence

The High Court also granted a three-week interim protection to Mr. Banerjee, directing that the CID cannot take any coercive action as long as he cooperates with the investigation.

The CID investigation was prompted after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed in relation to the complaint by TMC MLAs Ritabarta Banerjee and Sandipan Saha alleging that their signatures were forged in the letter nominating Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly. The letter was submitted to the Speaker on May 20, 2026.

The State agency then issued several summons to Abhishek Banerjee, who had signed the letter. However, he did not appear in person, citing health issues, and sought 15 days more to respond.

Meanwhile, the TMC has moved the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (June 10, 2026), challenging the legality of the search operation carried out, on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), at the party office adjacent to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kolkata’s Kalighat area.