How Can CID Question Lawyer On Case Being Argued By Him? Kalyan Bandopadhyay Writes To Calcutta HC Bar Association Over Cop's Call

Senior Advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay has written to the Secretary of the Bar Association of the Calcutta High Court alleging that an officer of the West Bengal CID contacted him seeking permission to interrogate him in connection with a criminal case in which he had appeared as counsel before the High Court.

In his letter, Bandopadhyay urged the Bar Association to take appropriate steps to safeguard the "dignity, respect and privilege of an Advocate."

According to the letter, Bandopadhyay is appearing as Senior Advocate in Sovandeb Chatterjee v. Speaker, West Bengal Legislative Assembly (WPO 276 of 2026), a writ petition challenging the recognition of the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

He stated that the writ petition annexed the minutes of a resolution of the All India Trinamool Congress relating to the appointment of the Opposition Leader. Subsequently, one MLA allegedly complained to the Secretary of the State Legislative Assembly that the signatures of certain MLAs on the resolution had been forged. Based on the complaint, the Secretary lodged an FIR at Hare Street Police Station, following which an investigation was initiated and later transferred to the CID.

Bandopadhyay said he argued the writ petition for three days before Justice Krishna Rao, who passed orders in the matter on Thursday.

He further stated that he had earlier appeared in CRR No. 2240 of 2026, in which Abhishek Banerjee challenged a notice issued under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before Justice Kausik Chanda.

Referring to the latest development, Bandopadhyay wrote:

"Today few minutes back one Sri Partha Bhattacharjee, claiming himself to be the officer of CID, called me in my mobile and sought for my permission to interrogate me in connection with the said criminal case."

Questioning the propriety of such a request, the senior counsel stated:

"How the police can interrogate a Senior Advocate who is arguing matter in connection with criminal case?"

He concluded the letter by requesting the Bar Association to take such action "as you deem fit and proper to protect dignity, respect and privilege of an Advocate."