- Calcutta High Court grants Abhishek Banerjee three weeks interim protection from arrest in forgery case
- Justice Kaushik Chandra ordered Banerjee to cooperate and appear for police questioning at 6 pm Thursday
- Court allowed search and seizure but barred coercive action against Banerjee for three weeks
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday gave Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee interim protection from arrest for three weeks in connection to the signature forgery case.
Justice Kaushik Chandra told Abhishek Banerjee - the party's second-in-command, behind aunt and ex-chief minister Mamata Banerjee - to cooperate with the investigation, and to appear before the police at its city office for questioning at 6 pm Thursday, after he returns from Delhi. Till then no coercive action can be taken against the Lok Sabha MP, the court ruled.
"This court is of the view that for securing documents the investigating agency is at liberty to do search and seizure as per law... (but) the agency shall not take coercive steps (against Banerjee) for two weeks. If further interrogation is required the agency will give 24-hour notice."
"The petitioner shall cooperate with the agency (and) the agency is at liberty to interrogate him, for which the petitioner shall meet the agency as and when required," the court concluded and posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.
The controversy erupted after a proposal seeking recognition of the Trinamool's Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition allegedly contained forged signatures of other MLAs.
RECAP | Trinamool's Abhishek Banerjee Summoned In 'Fake Signature' Probe
The proposal was allegedly drafted at a meeting at Mamata Banerjee's home.
Two Trinamool MLAs - Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha - complained, calling the resolution "manufactured and fabricated". They red flagged 14 of the 70 signatures.
Trinamool boss Mamata Banerjee and her No 2, Abhishek Banerjee (File)
The allegations led to a police case being filed and an investigation by the CID, which has included searches at Mamata Banerjee's home and Abhishek Banerjee's office.
RECAP | Cops At Mamata Banerjee's Home In Signature Scandal Probe
The Trinamool subsequently expelled both MLAs from the party - allegedly for 'anti-party activities'. This was minutes after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari revealed their names.
The Trinamool has lurched from one crisis to another after defeat in the May 4 election, in which Mamata Banerjee's party was dumped out of power for the first time in 15 years.
The defeat - to arch rivals Bharatiya Janata Party - has led to internal divides and disputes being aired publicly, and at least 19 of its 28 members of parliament declaring their intention to breakaway and join the ruling BJP-led coalition.
