Cops from the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday visited Trinamool Congress chief and former party chief Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat, Kolkata, as part of its probe into allegations that the signatures of several MLAs were forged on a document submitted to the Speaker.
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A team from the agency has arrived 30B Harish Chatterjee Street around noon. They were accompanied by personnel from Kalighat police station and a large group of women police officers, news agency PTI reported.
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Why did the CID go to Mamata’s house?
The CID visited the party headquarters after the TMC National Secretary General Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew, told investigators that the party MLAs signed the document at the central office.
Based on that information, the agency went to the building as part of its investigation. However, party leaders did not allow the team to enter, saying any inspection could be conducted only in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee. The two sides quarreled briefly before the CID team left, PTI reported.
“We did not allow the CID to enter the building in the absence of Abhishek Banerjee. Once he arrives, the CID can conduct its search,” TMC leader and former MP Subhashish Chakraborty told reporters.
Later in the day, the agency returned with more police personnel and entered the residence of the former West Bengal chief minister. Officers from Kalighat police station intervened after a brief altercation with security personnel and allowed the search to continue, according to PTI.
Then the Criminal Investigation Department began the verification process inside the building. Another team also visited Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street as part of the investigation.
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What is a forged signature row in TMC?
The row started after rebel TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha accused party leaders of using forged signatures on documents submitted by Abhishek Banerjee to the Assembly.
The documents relate to the appointment of senior TMC leader Suvandeep Chattopadhyay as leader of the opposition. Two MLAs claimed that no such resolution was passed in the legislative party meeting on May 6 and alleged that records were prepared later.
These allegations led to an FIR for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. The Criminal Investigation Department took over the case on May 28 and formed a five-member special investigation team.
Investigators have since questioned several TMC MLAs’ agreements. According to officials, some lawmakers told the agency that the signatures that appeared to be theirs were not real. The CID has also requested the original documents from Abhishek Banerjee.
The controversy quickly escalated. Fifty-eight of the 80 TMC members rebelled against the party leadership, supported Ritabrata Banerjee for the position of Leader of the Opposition and received recognition from the Assembly Speaker. The revolution led to the first official split in the Transitional Military Council since the party was founded in 1998.
Mamata Banerjee meets Sonia Gandhi
Mamata Banerjee met Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday, PTI reported. The two leaders reportedly exchanged views on opposition unity and the changing political landscape in Bengal.
Their conversation came after the India Caucus meeting on Monday, where Banerjee and Gandhi were seen interacting amid renewed efforts by opposition parties to form a united front against the BJP.
