A 30-member Central Investigation Department (CID) team visited Mamata Banerjee's residence and party office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat to conduct searches related to a signature forgery case involving Abhishek Banerjee, who is currently in Delhi. The custodian of the premises, a volunteer named Subhashish Chakraborty, denied permission for the searches in the absence of Abhishek Banerjee, citing that the resolution in question mentioned the address and thus should be investigated in his presence. Meanwhile, another CID team visited Abhishek Banerjee's office on Carmac Street, and Abhishek has been served multiple notices but has not yet appeared before the CID. The signature forgery case stems from allegations that 14 of the 70 signatures on a document nominating Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of the opposition were forged, a matter that has led to an FIR and ongoing investigations, further compounding troubles for the Mamata-Abhishek faction of the TMC amidst internal party splits.

A 30-member Central Investigation Department (CID) team visited Mamata Banerjee's residence and party office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat to conduct searches related to a signature forgery case involving Abhishek Banerjee, who is currently in Delhi. The custodian of the premises, a volunteer named Subhashish Chakraborty, denied permission for the searches in the absence of Abhishek Banerjee, citing that the resolution in question mentioned the address and thus should be investigated in his presence. Meanwhile, another CID team visited Abhishek Banerjee's office on Carmac Street, and Abhishek has been served multiple notices but has not yet appeared before the CID. The signature forgery case stems from allegations that 14 of the 70 signatures on a document nominating Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of the opposition were forged, a matter that has led to an FIR and ongoing investigations, further compounding troubles for the Mamata-Abhishek faction of the TMC amidst internal party splits.

A 30-member Central Investigation Department (CID) team visited Mamata Banerjee's residence and party office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat to conduct searches related to a signature forgery case involving Abhishek Banerjee, who is currently in Delhi. The custodian of the premises, a volunteer named Subhashish Chakraborty, denied permission for the searches in the absence of Abhishek Banerjee, citing that the resolution in question mentioned the address and thus should be investigated in his presence. Meanwhile, another CID team visited Abhishek Banerjee's office on Carmac Street, and Abhishek has been served multiple notices but has not yet appeared before the CID. The signature forgery case stems from allegations that 14 of the 70 signatures on a document nominating Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of the opposition were forged, a matter that has led to an FIR and ongoing investigations, further compounding troubles for the Mamata-Abhishek faction of the TMC amidst internal party splits.

A 30-member Central Investigation Department (CID) team has left Mamata Banerjee’s 30B Harish Chatterjee Street house in Kalighat area after conducting searches and seizing some documents. The officials refused to comment on the search, which was in connection with a signature forgery probe.

When the CID team initially reached the house, which doubles up as the party office, the custodian of the premises denied permission to conduct searches in the absence of the TMC leaders. Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee are in Delhi since Sunday for the INDIA bloc meeting with opposition leaders on Monday.

“We have come to conduct an investigation,” said an officer of the CID team who sought to conduct searches related to Abhishek in the signature forgery case in the state assembly. The state investigating team said they have come to the location as the resolution submitted by Abhishek with signatures mentioned the address at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street.

“I appealed to CID that the letter should be brought in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee,” said Subhashish Chakraborty, a former Rajya Sabha MP, who said he was at the residence as a ‘volunteer’. The CID team, however, did not leave the 30B Harish Chatterjee Street area. Central security forces were also seen outside the Kalighat office.

A CID team along with Shakespeare Sarani police also reached Abhishek and TMC’s office on Carmac Street.

Abhishek has been served two CID notices in two weeks at his Kalighat residence close by but has not appeared before the CID so far. The CID has given Abhishek time till 5 pm on Tuesday to appear before the state investigating agency.

The signature forgery case has rocked the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. At least 14 of the 70 signatures were said to be forged on the document signed by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, naming Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of opposition (LoP).

MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha complained to the assembly speaker Ratindra Bose, prompting an FIR and subsequent investigations. A total of 58 rebel MLAs submitted a resolution with signatures to the speaker with two-third majority, naming Ritabrata as the LoP. The resolution was accepted by the speaker.

The Kalighat residence is where the TMC supremo holds her meetings with party leaders. Central opposition leaders too have visited Mamata at her Kalighat residence and party office. Troubles mount for the Mamata-Abhishek faction of TMC, dealing with a split in the party following a no confidence stance against Abhishek’s leadership.