Kolkata: Fresh trouble has emerged for Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who has been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police to appear on June 1 in connection with an alleged forged-signature case tied to a controversial letter submitted to the state Assembly Secretariat.
The case revolves around a May 19 communication sent by the TMC nominating senior party leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly. Allegations later surfaced that signatures of several TMC MLAs on the letter did not match official Assembly records, raising suspicions of forgery.
Questions Over LoP Nomination Letter
The controversy follows an earlier setback for the party. A previous letter dated May 6 nominating Chattopadhyay was rejected by the Assembly Secretariat as it was not formally issued by the TMC legislative party, a mandatory procedural requirement.
When a second letter was submitted on May 19, purportedly carrying signatures of party MLAs, discrepancies were flagged. Some of the signatures were found to be inconsistent with those on record, triggering the present probe.
Complaint and CID Action
A formal complaint was lodged at Kolkata’s Hare Street police station on behalf of the Assembly Secretariat earlier this week. The matter was subsequently handed over to the CID for investigation.
A CID team visited the Shantiniketan Building on Harish Mukherjee Road on Friday afternoon in an attempt to serve notice to Banerjee. However, he was not present at the time. The team later reached his Kalighat residence, where the notice was eventually served.
#WATCH | TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee says, "They had to serve me a notice and I had to receive it in person. So, they were waiting here. They had gone somewhere else mistakenly; they didn't know where I lived. So, through you, I said that if someone… https://t.co/K64YMKssRF pic.twitter.com/doR7bWv4Pu
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2026
“They have served a notice. I have received it. I have not yet seen the contents. I will take legal advice. I have nothing to hide,” Banerjee said, adding that he has cooperated with investigative agencies in the past, including appearing before the ED and CBI multiple times.
#WATCH | West Bengal | A CID official serves a notice to TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, at his residence in Kalighat. pic.twitter.com/2Pt1OYTeWC
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2026
He alleged that agencies were being used to pursue political vendetta.
Statements and Political Reactions
Banerjee struck a defiant tone, saying he would respond legally once he reviewed the notice. “If they serve me a notice, I will tackle it legally. I haven’t bowed down… I can’t be suppressed. I am made of a different metal,” he said earlier in the day.
The CID has also questioned other TMC legislators in connection with the case, including MLA Nayna Bandopadhyay, who maintained that she had personally attended the legislative party meeting and signed the relevant document.
Meanwhile, the BJP has dismissed claims of political targeting, arguing that the allegations of forged signatures are serious and unprecedented.
Parallel Controversies Add Pressure
The developments come amid a series of challenges for Banerjee. Earlier, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had issued notices to his firm over alleged deviations in building plans linked to properties including the Shantiniketan Building. Banerjee said he has responded and moved the Calcutta High Court in the matter.
On Saturday, Banerjee was also caught in a violent incident during a visit to South 24 Parganas’ Sonarpur area, where he had gone to meet families affected by alleged post-poll violence.
Here’s a longer video of Abhishek Banerjee being pelted with eggs.
Enjoy 3 minutes and 19 seconds of pure retribution https://t.co/F02GyepZzg pic.twitter.com/pV6AIrkTNH
— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) May 30, 2026
According to police and eyewitnesses, stones, eggs and shoes were hurled at his convoy, and a group of unidentified individuals allegedly attempted to physically assault him. Visuals from the scene showed Banerjee being escorted away by security personnel, his shirt torn in the scuffle.
Reacting sharply, he accused the BJP of orchestrating the attack. “They wanted to kill me… The whole incident has been captured on camera. We will move court,” he said.
What Lies Ahead
With Banerjee now formally summoned to appear before the CID at Bhabani Bhawan, the investigation is expected to intensify. The probe will focus on establishing whether the disputed signatures were indeed forged and identifying those responsible for submitting the contentious document.
The case adds another layer of political and legal pressure on one of the TMC’s top leaders at a time of heightened tensions in West Bengal.
