kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata | July 30 : The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim relief to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with three separate criminal cases registered against him in different police stations across West Bengal. The order comes amid a series of cases that have reportedly been filed against the senior TMC leader following the change in the state government.

According to court proceedings, several fresh First Information Reports (FIRs) have recently been lodged against Abhishek Banerjee at the Siliguri Cyber Police Station, Kalitala Police Station, and Bishnupur Police Station over different issues. Seeking protection from coercive action in all these cases, Banerjee approached the Calcutta High Court with a consolidated plea requesting interim legal relief.

The matter came up for hearing before the bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharyya on Thursday. After hearing the submissions, the court directed that no coercive legal action should be taken against Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the three cases at this stage of the proceedings.

During the hearing, counsel appearing for the Trinamool Congress leader argued that the cases had been initiated with political motives and alleged that the complaints were the result of political vendetta following the change in the state's political leadership. The defence maintained that the FIRs were part of a broader attempt to target the opposition through legal proceedings.

Banerjee's legal team also requested the High Court to ensure that any future complaints or criminal cases against him should not be registered without obtaining prior permission from the court. The plea was made on the ground that repeated criminal proceedings were allegedly being initiated for political reasons.

While considering the matter, the High Court directed the concerned authorities to provide Abhishek Banerjee with a complete list of all FIRs that have been registered against him so far. The court said that the information should be furnished before the next date of hearing to enable a comprehensive consideration of the issues raised in the petition.

The matter has now been scheduled for further hearing on August 6, when the court is expected to examine the details of the pending cases and consider the submissions of both sides in greater detail.

The interim protection granted by the High Court provides temporary relief to the Trinamool Congress MP by preventing immediate coercive action in the three cases while the legal proceedings continue. The court's directions ensure that the investigation may proceed in accordance with law, but without any immediate stringent action against the petitioner until further orders.

The development comes at a time when several political leaders in West Bengal are facing legal proceedings amid heightened political tensions, making the outcome of the case significant in the state's evolving political and legal landscape.