Signature forgery case: TMC”s Abhishek Banerjee reaches CID headquarters for questioning

Abhishek Banerjee appeared before Kolkata CID for a second round of questioning over alleged forgery of MLA signatures in West Bengal Assembly proceedings. The probe also involves Kunal Ghosh amid discrepancies in documents supporting a Leader of Opposition nomination

Kolkata: TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee reached the CID headquarters in Kolkata on Sunday for a second round of questioning in connection with the alleged forgery of the signatures of MLAs for the appointment of the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.

According to CID officials, the sleuths were not satisfied with the replies of the Diamond Harbour MP during his interrogation last week, and hence have been summoned again.

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The CID has also summoned TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh for questioning on Sunday, and there is a probability that the two leaders may be made to sit face-to-face for interrogation, an officer said.

Ghosh is scheduled to appear before the CID officers at Bhaban Bhawan around 3 pm.

“Banerjee has been asked to provide some specific documents in connection with the case,” the CID officer said.

On May 6, TMC legislators met at Banerjee’s Kalighat residence and proposed the name of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for the post of Leader of the Opposition. Legislators present at the meeting reportedly expressed support by a show of hands.

The formal proposal, however, was not immediately submitted to the Assembly. Following the swearing-in of TMC MLAs on May 13 and 14, the Assembly Secretariat sought a resolution from the party naming its nominee for the post.

A fresh meeting was held on May 19, following which a document carrying signatures of 70 legislators in support of Chattopadhyay was submitted to the Assembly.

Questions were subsequently raised after discrepancies were allegedly noticed between signatures appearing on different documents submitted by TMC MLAs.

The matter eventually led to the registration of an FIR and a CID probe. The state probe has already questioned several legislators in connection with the case.