Abhishek Banerjee moves Calcutta HC against CID voice sample notice
Synopsis
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has rushed to the Calcutta High Court to block a CID notice requiring him to submit a voice sample on 30 June — a move stemming from allegations that he threatened Home Minister Amit Shah before the West Bengal Assembly polls. With two CID cases running simultaneously and a travel-abroad plea already rejected, the legal walls appear to be closing in on one of the TMC's most prominent faces.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee filed a petition before the Calcutta High Court on 25 June challenging a CID notice to collect his voice sample on 30 June .
Justice Kaushik Chanda admitted the petition; the first hearing is set for 28 June .
The case stems from allegations of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the West Bengal Assembly elections.
An FIR was registered at Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station last month; the CID took over on 11 June .
Banerjee is also under CID scrutiny in a separate case involving alleged signature mismatches on a Trinamool legislators' resolution.
A separate Calcutta HC bench rejected his plea for a fast-track hearing on overseas travel for medical treatment on Wednesday .
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday, 25 June moved a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, challenging a notice issued by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police directing him to furnish a voice sample on 30 June. The notice followed an order by a district court in North 24 Parganas earlier this week.
Background to the Case
The voice sample collection is linked to an ongoing CID probe in which Banerjee — nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — stands accused of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the recently concluded Assembly elections. An FIR was registered against him at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station last month, and the case was transferred to the CID on 11 June.
How the Notice Was Served
On Wednesday night, a CID officer personally visited Banerjee's residence to serve the notice, which stipulates that the voice sample will be collected on 30 June in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts. Earlier, on 23 June, the Bidhannagar Court had granted the CID permission to collect the samples after the agency produced video footage of Banerjee's alleged statements at a pre-election rally.
High Court Admits Petition
Justice Kaushik Chanda admitted Banerjee's petition on Thursday. The first substantive hearing has been scheduled for 28 June. Banerjee had earlier been questioned for six and a half hours at CID headquarters in Bhabani Bhavan, South Kolkata earlier this month in connection with the same case.
Mounting Legal Pressure on Banerjee
This is not the only matter casting a legal shadow over the Trinamool leader. He is also under CID scrutiny in a separate case involving an alleged mismatch in signatures of Trinamool Congress legislators on a resolution related to Assembly appointments reserved for the opposition bench — a matter in which he has already been questioned twice.
Notably, on Wednesday, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court rejected his plea for a fast-track hearing on a petition seeking permission to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment, adding to a series of legal setbacks in quick succession. With the 28 June hearing approaching, the court's response to his challenge could determine whether the 30 June voice sample collection proceeds as scheduled.
Point of View
A court-ordered voice sample, and a rejected travel plea in the space of days signals an unusually concentrated legal squeeze on Abhishek Banerjee — the man widely seen as Mamata Banerjee's political heir. What is striking is the procedural aggression: CID officers arriving at his residence at night to serve notice is not standard practice for a sitting MP. Whether this reflects the judiciary and investigative agencies operating independently or a politically charged environment is a question West Bengal's fractured polity will answer differently depending on which side of the aisle one stands. The High Court's response on 28 June will be closely watched — a stay on the voice sample collection would buy Banerjee time; a refusal would set a significant precedent for how far investigative agencies can compel biometric compliance from elected legislators.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Abhishek Banerjee challenged the CID notice in the Calcutta High Court?
Abhishek Banerjee has challenged a CID notice that directs him to provide a voice sample on 30 June, as ordered by a district court in North 24 Parganas. He filed a petition before Justice Kaushik Chanda of the Calcutta High Court, which has admitted it and scheduled the first hearing for 28 June.
What is the case in which Abhishek Banerjee's voice sample is sought?
The voice sample is sought in connection with an FIR registered at Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station, in which Banerjee is accused of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. The CID took over the case on 11 June.
When was the voice sample collection ordered and by which court?
The Bidhannagar Court granted the CID permission to collect Banerjee's voice sample on 23 June, fixing 30 June as the date. The order was based on video footage of Banerjee's alleged statements at a pre-election rally.
What other legal matters is Abhishek Banerjee currently facing?
Banerjee is also under CID scrutiny in a separate case involving an alleged mismatch in signatures of Trinamool Congress legislators on a resolution related to opposition bench appointments in the Assembly, and has been questioned twice in that matter. Additionally, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday rejected his plea for a fast-track hearing on permission to travel abroad for eye treatment.
What happens if the Calcutta High Court does not stay the CID notice?
If the court declines to intervene before 30 June, the CID will proceed to collect Banerjee's voice sample in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts, as directed by the district court. The sample would then be used in the ongoing CID investigation into the incitement and threat allegations.
