Calcutta High Court Allows TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee To Move Plea Seeking Protection From Coercive Action In MLA Signature Forgery Probe

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday permitted Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee to move a petition seeking protection from coercive action in connection with the West Bengal CID's investigation into the alleged forged signatures case involving several MLAs.

The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench of Justice Apurba Sinha Ray after Banerjee was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with its probe into allegations that signatures of certain legislators were forged on a document submitted to the Assembly Secretariat. The Court permitted the plea to be filed.

According to reports, the CID had served a notice on Banerjee directing him to appear before investigators as part of the ongoing inquiry. Banerjee had publicly stated that he would consult his lawyers and cooperate with the investigation.

However, after allegedly being attacked by a mob when visiting a deceased TMC worker's family, Banerjee skipped the CID's summons on medical grounds.

The alleged forgery pertains to signatures appearing on a document connected with support extended for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. The CID has already examined multiple legislators as part of the investigation.