International Desk
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal conducted a search operation at the Kolkata residence of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday in connection with an investigation into the alleged forgery of signatures belonging to two Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislators. The development triggered a fresh political confrontation between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with both sides accusing each other of misusing state institutions.
The CID team, comprising around six officials, arrived at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street, the long-time residence of Mamata Banerjee. Investigators maintained that their objective was not to search the former Chief Minister’s personal residence but to inspect the Trinamool Congress party office, which functions from the same premises.
The officials initially faced resistance from party leaders and supporters stationed outside the property. Former TMC Member of Parliament Subhasish Chakraborty objected to the search, arguing that neither Mamata Banerjee nor the party’s national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, was present at the residence. He requested that investigators postpone their visit until one of the senior leaders could be present.
However, CID officers reportedly rejected the request, stating that they were executing their duties as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. According to the investigators, preventing them from entering the premises could amount to obstruction of the inquiry. Following a brief standoff, the officials entered the premises at around 4 p.m. and proceeded with the search.
The investigation stems from allegations surrounding a letter submitted to the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on May 20, nominating senior TMC leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition. Two Trinamool Congress legislators, Ritabarta Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, subsequently alleged that their signatures on the document had been forged without their knowledge or consent.
Following their allegations, both MLAs were expelled from the party. Based on their complaint, an FIR was registered at Kolkata’s Hare Street Police Station before the case was transferred to the CID for further investigation.
As part of the probe, CID officials issued multiple summonses to Abhishek Banerjee, who had signed the disputed letter. Banerjee, however, did not appear before investigators in person, citing health concerns. He had sought additional time to respond to the summons.
On Tuesday, he was scheduled to appear before CID officials at the state police headquarters by 5 p.m. Instead, shortly before the deadline, Banerjee submitted another request seeking a 15-day extension, resulting in his non-appearance before investigators.
Simultaneously, another CID team reportedly visited the Trinamool Congress office on Camac Street in connection with the same case.
The searches prompted sharp reactions from senior Trinamool leaders, who accused the authorities of carrying out a politically motivated campaign against the party leadership.
Senior TMC MP and advocate Kalyan Banerjee condemned the CID’s actions, describing them as an act of harassment. He pointed out that Mamata Banerjee had neither been named in the FIR nor summoned as a witness in the case. According to him, the timing of the search, when several senior party leaders were away in New Delhi, raised serious questions about the intent behind the operation.
Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien also criticised the move, terming it a “shameless political vendetta.” He alleged that the investigation was part of a broader attempt to target political opponents through state agencies.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh questioned why the search was conducted in Mamata Banerjee’s absence despite her having remained at the residence in recent weeks. He further claimed that party representatives faced restrictions while attempting to enter the premises during the operation.
The BJP, however, defended the CID’s actions and insisted that the investigation should proceed without political interference.
State Minister and BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul stated that the search demonstrated that no individual, regardless of political stature, stood above the law. She accused the former Chief Minister of failing to address corruption and criminality during her tenure and argued that all allegations must be investigated thoroughly.
The controversy has intensified the already charged political atmosphere in West Bengal, where relations between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP have remained deeply adversarial. While the CID maintains that its actions are strictly part of a legal investigation into allegations of document forgery, the Trinamool Congress continues to portray the developments as politically motivated attempts to tarnish the image of its leadership.
With Abhishek Banerjee yet to appear before investigators and the CID continuing its probe, the forged signatures case is likely to remain at the centre of West Bengal’s political discourse in the days ahead.
