Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee turned up at the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday for questioning in connection with a first information report (FIR) registered against him for delivering an allegedly provocative speech in the run-up to the West Bengal elections.
Banerjee arrived at the CID headquarters in Kolkata’s Bhabani Bhaban around noon and left at about 6:30pm. He did not speak with the media.
The Bidhannagar police registered a first information report (FIR) on May 15 against Banerjee for allegedly making provocative remarks in some speeches posted on social media.
The FIR was registered on a complaint filed by a local resident, Rajib Sarkar, on May 5, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party defeated the TMC in the assembly polls.
The case was later transferred to the CID.
The CID last grilled Banerjee for over 8 hours in the legislators’ signature forgery case on Sunday, three days after questioning him for over five hours on June 11. On Monday, he was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate linked to money laundering allegations in connection with irregularities in the primary school recruitment case.
Rajib Sarkar, who was in the crowd outside the CID office on Tuesday, said he could approach the Calcutta high court also.
{{/usCountry}}Rajib Sarkar, who was in the crowd outside the CID office on Tuesday, said he could approach the Calcutta high court also.
{{/usCountry}}Banerjee had earlier challenged the FIR in the Calcutta High Court. On May 21, the Calcutta high court granted Banerjee protection from coercive action until July 31. However, Justice Saugata Bhattacharya directed Banerjee to appear in person before the investigating officers and prohibited him from leaving the country without the court’s permission. Banerjee sought permission to appear virtually before the police but the court denied the request.
The case will be heard again on July 20.