The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from coercive action to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with a signature forgery case linked to the party's selection of the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
Justice Kausik Chanda directed Banerjee to appear before the CID at its headquarters, Bhabani Bhaban, in Kolkata by 6 pm on Thursday for questioning in the matter. The court also granted him protection from any coercive action for three weeks.
During the hearing, Banerjee's counsel informed the court that the TMC national general secretary was scheduled to arrive in Kolkata from Delhi at around 4 pm.
The matter is slated to be heard again after two weeks.
The case stems from allegations surrounding a meeting convened by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence to discuss the party's choice for the Leader of Opposition post in the state assembly.
The controversy erupted after claims surfaced that signatures of several MLAs were affixed to related documents despite their absence from the meeting, sparking a political row in West Bengal and prompting an investigation into alleged forgery.
