Bengal signature ‘forgery’ case: Abhishek Banerjee gets third CID notice, asked to appear by 5pm tomorrow

KOLKATA: The West Bengal CID on Monday issued a third notice to Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the alleged signature forgery case in the state Assembly, directing him to appear before investigators by 5 pm on Tuesday at its Bhabani Bhavan headquarters.

Accroding to officials, the latest 24-hour deadline was issued after Banerjee failed to appear for the previous two summons. He had also requested more time, citing that his petition before the Calcutta high court, scheduled for hearing on June 10, should be decided first.

A team of eight CID officers, including women personnel, visited Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat, south Kolkata, around 4.40 pm. This came hours after he missed the second appearance deadline and the same day he was in New Delhi for an INDIA bloc meeting.

The officers recorded video evidence of the notice being served after waiting outside the locked residence gates for some time, according to PTI reported.

Investigators have so far faced repeated delays, with Banerjee seeking extensions on multiple occasions, citing health concerns and later moving court seeking protection from coercive action.

The case relates to a letter submitted to the Assembly secretariat on May 19, proposing Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition. The document reportedly carried signatures of around 70 TMC MLAs.

However, complaints filed by rebel MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha alleged that several signatures were forged, leading to an FIR and a CID probe.

As the party’s national general secretary and a signatory to the covering letter, Banerjee has come under scrutiny as investigators try to establish how the document was prepared and submitted.

The first notice was issued on May 30, asking him to appear on June 1. Instead, Banerjee cited an alleged attack in Sonarpur on the outskirts of Kolkata and informed the CID that he was unwell, seeking additional time.

He later requested a two-week deferment on medical grounds to recover before appearing for questioning.

A second notice was served on June 1, directing him to appear on June 8, reducing the extension period sought by him.

However, he again failed to appear and moved the High Court through his legal team, challenging the summons and seeking protection from coercive action.

Ahead of the June 8 deadline, Banerjee once again sought more time, requesting an extension from investigators.

With the CID now insisting on a strict deadline, officials indicated that the agency is pushing ahead firmly with the probe, treating Banerjee’s questioning as crucial to the investigation into the alleged forgery of MLA signatures.