Forged Signature Row: 'Unwell' Abhishek Banerjee Skips CID Summons, Seeks 15 Days; Govt Forms SIT to Probe Case

Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee is unlikely to appear before the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday, according to sources close to the development. The Diamond Harbour Member of Parliament (MP) was scheduled for questioning regarding an ongoing investigation into an alleged signature forgery case involving party lawmakers.

Legal representatives for the senior leader have officially communicated his inability to attend, stating that Banerjee is currently unwell and undergoing medical treatment at home. The leader has requested a 15-day extension from the state investigative agency to comply with the summons.

High Drama Ahead of the Investigative Notice

The medical setback follows an intensely dramatic weekend. On Saturday, Banerjee was reportedly targeted during a visit to the residence of an alleged post-poll violence victim in Sonarpur, located in the South 24 Parganas district. The situation escalated quickly, requiring the presence of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as the MP received medical care at two separate private hospitals that evening.

Responding to reports of Banerjee’s health condition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Samik Bhattacharya offered a brief public reaction. "Wish him recovery and that he be in the field," Bhattacharya remarked to reporters.

The official notice demanding Banerjee's presence at the CID headquarters in Bhabani Bhaban was served personally at his Kalighat Road residence on Saturday. However, executing the hand-delivery turned into a tense, ninety-minute logistics standoff across multiple properties in South Kolkata.

CID sleuths initially arrived at a residence named 'Shantiniketan' on Harish Mukherjee Road. Discovering the leader was not present, the five-officer team waited for nearly half an hour, refusing to hand over the legal document to on-duty household staff. The unit was eventually redirected to Banerjee's primary Kalighat Road property, where they waited an additional ten minutes outside before the MP personally acknowledged and accepted the summons.

Political Vendetta or Legal Accountability?

The legal friction stems from a controversial document submitted by the TMC to the State Assembly Secretariat. The communication carried the signatures of roughly 70 newly elected party MLAs, endorsing veteran leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for the position of Leader of the Opposition (LoP), a post that carries cabinet-minister rank.

Banerjee received the investigators just as he was preparing for further field visits to clash-affected families. Following the departure of the CID team, he addressed the media directly.

"I'm yet to see the content of the notice. I will consult with my lawyers and make an appropriate response. I will surely cooperate with the probe in whatever manner possible. If required, I will appear before them," Banerjee stated.

He also pointed out a clear lapse in the investigators' logistical intelligence:

"I don't live at Shantiniketan building for the last seven years. As investigating officers, they should know it, but they are also doing their job. I have received the notice because I did not want to keep them waiting any longer."

The TMC general secretary did not hold back in framing the sudden state agency pressure as a calculated political attack, linking it directly to his active resistance against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"I am not going to bow before their threats and will not quit the battlefield. I have faced the ED and CBI some 10-12 times before, both in Kolkata and Delhi. Now, following their assembly election victory, they are also armed with the Kolkata Police, CID and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to come after me. Let them arrest me if they have the guts to do it. I am not running away," Banerjee declared defiantly.

Inside the Forged Signature Case

According to law enforcement sources, the structural timeline of the dispute highlights a series of administrative rejections:

• Initial Submission: The TMC forwarded its first legislative endorsement regarding the LoP post, but the Assembly Secretariat promptly rejected it because it originated from the core party organization rather than the official TMC legislative party.
• The Discrepancy: A second endorsement letter containing MLA signatures was submitted. However, administrative reviews revealed that several signatures failed to match official state assembly records.

The official investigation began after the West Bengal Assembly Secretariat lodged a formal complaint at Kolkata's Hare Street Police Station. Specifically, authorities alleged that the signature of TMC MLA Nayna Banerjee on the endorsement letter diverged completely from the official oath-taking signature on file.

The West Bengal CID has swiftly intensified its probe into the matter. To get to the bottom of the alleged discrepancies, the agency has formed a dedicated Special Investigation Team (SIT). This five-member investigative unit will be headed by a high-ranking officer holding the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to ensure a rigorous forensic and administrative review.

Thus far, investigators have questioned multiple high-profile TMC legislators, including Nayna Banerjee, Bolpur MLA Chandranath Sinha, Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh, and Canning-East MLA Baharul Islam. Mirroring the actions taken against the party's national general secretary, CID teams also served a direct summons to Kunal Ghosh at his North Kolkata residence on Saturday.

The ongoing signature controversy has caused significant administrative gridlock inside the legislative building. The Assembly Secretariat continues to withhold the formal allocation of the Leader of the Opposition's chamber, sparking sustained protests from sitting TMC lawmakers on the assembly premises.
 

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