CID team visits Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat office in forged signature probe

A CID team visited Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat office in Kolkata amid a probe into alleged forged signatures of TMC MLAs. The controversy has triggered the party’s first major split, with rebels backing Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of Opposition

Kolkata: A CID team on Tuesday reached the TMC’s central party office cum Kalighat residence of party supremo Mamata Banerjee as part of its investigation into the alleged forged signature of MLAs controversy that has triggered an unprecedented split in the party.

Officials of the state investigating agency, accompanied by personnel from the Kalighat police station and a large contingent of women police personnel, arrived at the party’s central office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street around noon, sources said.

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The CID’s move comes days after the agency served notices seeking information related to the alleged forging of signatures of TMC legislators on a proposal submitted to the Assembly Speaker for recognition of the Leader of Opposition.

According to CID officials present at the spot, the search was sought on the basis of a reply submitted by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to an earlier notice issued by the agency.

“In his response, Abhishek Banerjee stated that signatures of MLAs were collected at the party’s central office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street. Based on that statement, we have come here as part of the investigation,” a CID officer said.

However, the investigating team was not allowed to enter the premises, leading to a brief exchange with those managing the office.

TMC leader and former MP Subhasish Chakraborty said the party had objected to the search in the absence of Abhishek Banerjee.

“We have not allowed the CID to enter the premises in the absence of Abhishek Banerjee. Once he comes, the CID can come and search the house,” Chakraborty told reporters.

The development marks a fresh twist in the forged-signature case that has snowballed into the biggest internal crisis in the TMC’s 28-year history.

The controversy erupted after a proposal sent to the Speaker seeking recognition of senior TMC MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition allegedly contained forged signatures of several legislators. The allegations led to the registration of an FIR and a CID investigation.

The rebellion traces its immediate origins to the dispute over the selection of the Leader of Opposition after the Assembly elections.

The crisis escalated when 58 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs defied the party leadership and backed expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee for the post instead of the party’s official nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.

In a dramatic turn of events last week, the rebel camp wrested control of the legislature party, elected Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of Opposition and secured recognition from the Assembly Speaker, resulting in the first split in the TMC since its formation in 1998.