KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee suffered a setback on Friday after the Calcutta High Court declined his request for an urgent hearing in connection with the ongoing alleged MLA signature forgery controversy. The development comes at a time when the senior TMC leader is already facing mounting legal and political pressure from multiple investigations and court proceedings.
According to court proceedings, Banerjee had approached the High Court seeking an expedited hearing and interim protection from any coercive action in the case being investigated by the West Bengal CID. His legal team argued that the matter required urgent consideration as he had been summoned by investigators in connection with allegations involving forged signatures of legislators on documents submitted to the Assembly Secretariat. However, the court did not grant the request for an immediate hearing, dealing a blow to the TMC leader’s attempt to secure quick judicial relief.
The controversy revolves around allegations that signatures of several MLAs were forged on official documents. The CID has been conducting an investigation into the matter and had issued a summons to Banerjee. Reports indicate that the agency rejected his plea seeking additional time before appearing for questioning and instead directed him to comply with the investigation schedule.
Political observers see the High Court’s refusal to entertain the urgency plea as a significant development. Banerjee’s legal strategy appeared aimed at obtaining immediate protection from possible coercive steps while simultaneously delaying his appearance before investigators. The court’s decision effectively means that the TMC leader may have to face the investigation process without the quick shield he was seeking.
The latest setback adds to a series of challenges confronting Banerjee in recent weeks. He has already been summoned by investigative agencies in separate matters, including cases linked to recruitment irregularities. The Enforcement Directorate recently issued a summons to him in connection with the alleged primary teachers’ recruitment scam, further intensifying scrutiny around the influential TMC leader.
Critics argue that instead of directly cooperating with investigators, Banerjee has repeatedly turned to the courts seeking relief and protection. Opposition parties have seized upon the latest court development, claiming that legal processes should be allowed to proceed without political interference or attempts to secure special treatment. While the TMC maintains that its leaders are being targeted for political reasons, the opposition insists that all allegations must be thoroughly investigated and that accountability should apply equally to everyone, irrespective of political stature.
Banerjee and his party have consistently denied wrongdoing in the signature controversy and other cases. The TMC leadership has alleged that investigative agencies are being used as political tools against opposition leaders. Nevertheless, the courts have continued to examine the legal aspects of the various petitions filed by the party’s senior leaders.
With the High Court declining to fast-track the matter, attention now shifts to the next stage of the legal proceedings and the CID investigation. The outcome could have significant political implications for the ruling party in West Bengal, especially as opposition parties intensify their attacks over allegations of corruption, forgery, and administrative irregularities.
For now, the court’s refusal to grant urgent relief represents another hurdle for Abhishek Banerjee, who finds himself battling legal challenges on multiple fronts while trying to defend both his political position and his party’s image amid growing controversy.
