kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata: Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee is not getting immediate relief in the ongoing signature controversy. In a significant development, Justice Chaitali Chatterjee Das of the High Court has rejected his plea seeking an urgent hearing of the case challenging a notice issued by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The controversy dates back to the period following the declaration of the Assembly election results. On May 6, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with party legislators at Kalighat. During that meeting, the name of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay was proposed for the post of Leader of the Opposition. Those present at the gathering reportedly expressed their support for his candidature by raising their hands. However, the party did not immediately submit the formal proposal required to be filed with the Legislative Assembly.

Subsequently, on May 13 and 14, Trinamool Congress legislators took their oath as members of the Assembly. After taking the oath, the legislators signed the official documents as per procedure. The Secretary of the Assembly then sought a formal proposal from the Trinamool Congress, as the principal opposition party, regarding the name of its proposed Leader of the Opposition.

To complete the process, another meeting of party legislators was convened at Kalighat on May 19. Some legislators attended the meeting while others remained absent. According to reports, signatures of those present were collected by the party, and the number of absent legislators was also noted. Subsequently, a document carrying the signatures of 70 legislators in support of the party’s proposed Leader of the Opposition was submitted to the Assembly. The Trinamool Congress maintained that the document represented the official proposal for the position.

However, it was at this stage that discrepancies allegedly came to light. The signatures on the proposal document reportedly did not match the signatures recorded elsewhere by certain Trinamool legislators. Suspecting possible forgery or irregularities, the Assembly Secretary lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the police. Following the complaint, the CID took charge of the investigation and began examining the matter.

The investigation progressed, the name of Abhishek Banerjee, widely regarded as the second most influential leader in the Trinamool Congress hierarchy, became linked to the case. The CID subsequently issued a notice directing him to appear at Bhawani Bhavan for questioning. However, citing health-related reasons, Abhishek did not appear before investigators and instead sought an extension of fifteen days through a formal communication.

Thereafter, on Wednesday, the Trinamool Congress leader approached the court challenging the CID notice. His legal team sought protection from arrest in connection with the investigation and also requested that the matter be heard urgently. However, Justice Chaitali Chatterjee Das declined the plea for an expedited hearing, resulting in a setback for the Trinamool leader at this stage of the proceedings.

Abhishek failed to appear before investigators, the CID reportedly issued another notice asking him to cooperate with the inquiry. Adding to his legal and political challenges, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also served a notice on him in connection with an alleged recruitment scam investigation.

The developments come at a time when the Trinamool Congress is facing political turbulence and internal challenges. With multiple investigative agencies pursuing inquiries and legal proceedings continuing on several fronts, pressure on Abhishek Banerjee appears to be mounting. The High Court’s refusal to grant an urgent hearing means that, for now, he will have to continue navigating both the legal process and the growing political scrutiny surrounding the signature controversy.