Kolkata billboard row: Police summon Derek O’Brien, Abhishek over clash

Kolkata Police have summoned Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien for questioning in connection with FIRs registered over the removal of an alleged illegal billboard from the roof of the party office of Abhishek Banerjee on Camac Street in central Kolkata.

O’Brien has been asked to appear before the police at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station by noon on 31 August, according to the notice issued to him.

The development comes a day after police personnel from the same station visited the residence of Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday night and served him a similar summons. Banerjee has been directed to appear at the police station by noon on 1 September.

Police officers reached O’Brien’s residence on Prince Anwar Shah Road in south Kolkata shortly after 9 am on Sunday. A city police official said that after several knocks, a representative of O’Brien came out and received the notice on his behalf.

Neither Banerjee nor O’Brien has so far confirmed whether they will appear before the police for questioning.

The case stems from an incident on Thursday afternoon, when Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) personnel, accompanied by police officers, arrived at Banerjee’s Camac Street office to remove the billboard, which civic authorities described as illegal.

The operation quickly turned tense as Trinamool Congress activists, led by Banerjee, O’Brien and other party leaders, allegedly resisted the removal. Scuffles subsequently broke out between party workers and police personnel.

Kolkata Police have registered three FIRs at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station in connection with the incident. According to the police, Trinamool activists have been accused of assaulting officers on duty and allegedly attempting to outrage the modesty of a woman police officer.

Banerjee, O’Brien and other Trinamool leaders, including Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee, have been named in two of the three FIRs.

Police have so far arrested 14 people in connection with the case as the investigation into the confrontation continues.

With IANS inputs