Abhishek skips CID summons, seeks more time in signature-mismatch probe

Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee has sought additional time to appear before the West Bengal CID in connection with its investigation into alleged signature mismatches involving party legislators, citing health issues following an alleged attack in South 24-Parganas.

Banerjee was summoned to appear before the CID on Monday after the agency issued a notice seeking his cooperation in the probe into discrepancies in signatures on a resolution related to key appointments in the Trinamool Congress legislative wing in the West Bengal Assembly.

According to party sources, Banerjee informed the CID that he is still recovering from injuries allegedly sustained on 30 May while travelling to Sonarpur to meet the family of a party worker.

"His physical condition is still not good. There is pain in his jaw and soreness across his body following Saturday's attack," a party insider said.

The source added that several medical examinations are still pending and that Banerjee requires more time before appearing before investigators.

The CID recently constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a DIG-rank officer to investigate the signature mismatch controversy. The team also includes a DSP and two inspectors.

The probe centres on alleged discrepancies in signatures of Trinamool Congress MLAs on a resolution concerning the nomination of key Assembly positions, including the leader of Opposition, deputy leaders of the opposition and the party's Chief Whip.

As the party's general secretary, Banerjee had earlier sent a communication to the Assembly Secretariat nominating Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition, Nayna Bandyopadhyay and Asima Patra as deputy leaders, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip.

However, Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose reportedly insisted on a formal resolution carrying the signatures of Trinamool legislators. During scrutiny, discrepancies were allegedly noticed in some signatures, prompting the matter to be referred to the CID.

The notice to Banerjee was served on 30 May. CID officials initially visited his residence on Harish Mukherjee Road before locating him at his Kalighat residence, where the notice was personally delivered.

Following the summons, Banerjee said he would cooperate with the investigation while acting in accordance with legal advice.

The development adds a fresh political dimension to the ongoing controversy, with the CID now examining how the disputed signatures came to appear on documents submitted in connection with important legislative appointments.

With IANS inputs