Abhishek Banerjee flies to Delhi early amid CID summons, INDIA bloc meet
Synopsis
Abhishek Banerjee slipped out of Kolkata a day early — and the timing is hard to ignore. With a CID summons awaiting him on Monday and a separate ED notice for June 15, the TMC general secretary's unscheduled dash to Delhi raises pointed questions about whether the INDIA bloc meeting is cover, coincidence, or something else entirely.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee left for New Delhi on Saturday, 6 June , a day ahead of schedule, on instructions from Mamata Banerjee .
He is summoned by the CID to appear at Bhabani Bhavan , Kolkata, on Monday, 8 June — the same day as the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi.
This is his second CID summons; he skipped the first on 1 June citing injuries from an alleged assault at Sonarpur on 30 May .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has separately asked him to appear at its Salt Lake office on 15 June .
His appearance before the CID on 8 June is considered unlikely given his presence in Delhi.
Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee departed for New Delhi on Saturday, 6 June, a day ahead of the originally planned schedule, with a party insider confirming the early departure was on the instructions of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The reason for the preponed travel, however, remains unclear.
The Original Plan
Both Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee were initially scheduled to travel to New Delhi together on Sunday afternoon to attend a crucial meeting of the Indian National Inclusive Development Alliance (INDIA) bloc in the national capital on Monday, 8 June. Abhishek's early exit breaks that joint travel plan, though the party insider said he remained unaware of whether Abhishek had any separate meetings lined up in Delhi on Sunday.
CID Summons Clouds the Trip
The timing of the departure is significant. Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police at its headquarters, Bhabani Bhavan in south Kolkata, on Monday, 8 June, for questioning in connection with an ongoing probe. The investigation concerns alleged mismatches in the signatures of certain Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislators on a resolution relating to key Opposition-bench positions in the West Bengal Assembly.
This is the second summons served to him. He was first called on 1 June but did not appear, citing his physical condition following an alleged assault at Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district on the afternoon of 30 May. CID officials subsequently visited his residence on Kalighat Road in south Kolkata the same day and served a fresh notice directing him to appear on 8 June.
With Abhishek already in Delhi and the INDIA bloc meeting also scheduled for Monday, his appearance before the CID on that date appears unlikely, according to reports.
ED Notice Adds to Legal Pressure
Separately, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also served him a notice, directing him to present himself at the agency's Salt Lake office on the northern outskirts of Kolkata on 15 June for questioning. The ED notice adds a second layer of legal scrutiny to the TMC's second-most prominent figure.
Political Backdrop
The developments come at a delicate moment for the INDIA bloc, with the Monday meeting expected to address key strategic questions for the opposition alliance. Mamata Banerjee is still expected to travel to Delhi on Sunday as originally planned. How the TMC leadership navigates the competing pressures of opposition politics and mounting legal proceedings against Abhishek will be closely watched in the days ahead.
Point of View
But it also deepens the perception that legal accountability is being deferred rather than faced. The ED notice adds a second front. Mainstream coverage is treating this as a scheduling story; the harder question is whether a pattern of non-appearance before investigative agencies is solidifying — and what that means for the TMC's credibility on rule-of-law issues even as it positions itself as a pillar of the INDIA bloc.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Abhishek Banerjee leave for Delhi early?
Abhishek Banerjee left for New Delhi on Saturday, 6 June, a day ahead of the originally planned Sunday departure, reportedly on the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. A party insider confirmed the early travel but said the specific reason behind it was not known to him.
What is the CID case against Abhishek Banerjee?
The CID of the West Bengal Police is investigating alleged mismatches in the signatures of certain TMC legislators on a resolution concerning key Opposition-bench positions in the West Bengal Assembly. Abhishek Banerjee has been summoned to appear at CID headquarters, Bhabani Bhavan in Kolkata, on 8 June.
Did Abhishek Banerjee skip the earlier CID summons?
Yes. He was first summoned on 1 June but did not appear, citing physical injuries sustained during an alleged assault at Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas on 30 May. CID officials then served him a fresh notice at his Kalighat Road residence the same day, directing him to appear on 8 June.
What is the ED notice about?
The Enforcement Directorate has served Abhishek Banerjee a separate notice asking him to appear at its Salt Lake office in Kolkata on 15 June for questioning. The specific subject of the ED probe was not detailed in available reports.
Will Abhishek Banerjee attend the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday?
Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled to attend the INDIA bloc opposition alliance meeting in New Delhi on Monday, 8 June. His presence in Delhi makes his appearance before the CID on the same day unlikely, according to reports.
