After almost six hours of questioning at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee stepped out, saying he had not been given any notice stating that he had been charged under non-bailable sections.
“I have not got any notice about non-bailable sections,” said Abhishek Banerjee.
“Politics is being played. The public has seen that the signboard that was put up was later removed,” said Abhishek, adding, “If they think that opponents can be silenced this way, they are mistaken.”
The questioning was related to an incident on Thursday at his Camac Street office, where he and his employees were accused of heckling police officers on duty. The summons was sent to Abhishek on Sunday, asking the TMC MP to appear at the police station. The MP arrived at the station at 12:17 pm in his car, amid rain, accompanied by his bodyguards and party supporters. However, only Abhishek was allowed to enter the police station for questioning.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien, who was also called to the police station on Monday in connection with the same case, skipped the summons and sought more time to appear. O’Brien was also present when the police and KMC officials arrived at Abhishek’s Camac Street office.
At 3:00 pm on Thursday, officers from Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) reached Abhishek’s Camac Street office with a notice to remove an illegal hoarding belonging to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). Police and KMC officials were seen scuffling with Abhishek’s protesting employees, but managed to get past them and reach the terrace, where the AITC billboard was torn down. Another billboard was also torn down in front of the office building. Some employees were detained by the police at the time.
