TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Moves Calcutta High Court To Quash FIR Over Allegedly Objectionable Remarks At Poll Rally

Trinamool Congress national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking quashing of an FIR registered against him over allegedly objectionable remarks made against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during an election rally.

The petition is likely to come up for hearing before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya this week.

According to the plea, the FIR was registered following a complaint alleging that Banerjee made defamatory and provocative statements against Shah while addressing a public meeting during an election campaign for the West Bengal assembly elections.

Banerjee has reportedly been booked under BNS sections 196 (promotion of enmity, hatred), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 353(1)(c) ( circulation of false information, rumors to incite hatred), among others. Section 196 of the BNS is a non-bailable offence with imprisonment of three years and a fine.

He has also been booked under Section 123(2) and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.