Will Abhishek Banerjee appear at CID office today in Trinamool MLA signature mismatch case?

Kolkata, June 9 (IANS) All focus in the political circles in West Bengal will be on the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Bhabani Bhavan in South Kolkata on Tuesday, with the main question being whether Trinamool Congress’ general secretary and the party’s Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, will ultimately appear there and face interrogation in the signature mismatch case.

The case was filed after complaints were made by some Trinamool MLAs alleging that signatures of several legislators were forged on official documents submitted to the West Bengal Assembly.

Legal circles believe that since this is the third consecutive summons served to Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of the former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and in case he stays away this time also, the CID will be prompted to act against him.

However, legal circles point out that there is also a legal shield in this matter in his favour, which is the scheduled hearing on Wednesday before a single-judge vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court on his petition challenging the CID summons and seeking interim protection against coercive police action, including arrest.

Last week, Abhishek Banerjee approached the Calcutta High Court with the petition, which also pleaded for a fast-track hearing in the matter. Although the single-judge vacation bench of Justice Chaitali Chatterjee Das admitted his petition, she rejected the plea for a fast-track hearing and fixed June 10 as the date of the first hearing.

In the first notice served on May 30, Abhishek Banerjee was asked to appear for interrogation at the CID headquarters on June 1. However, on June 1, he sent a communique to the CID seeking 15 days to appear, citing medical issues after being assaulted at Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district on the afternoon of May 30.

The CID then served a second notice asking him to appear for interrogation by noon on June 8.

However, on June 8, Abhishek Banerjee was in New Delhi with Mamata Banerjee attending the INDIA bloc meeting, and he sought more time to appear for interrogation.

Again, on the afternoon of June 8, the CID served him the third notice asking him to appear at its headquarters by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

–IANS

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