Abhishek Banerjee faces 2 fresh police complaints, 3-day questioning stretch in Bengal
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee is facing fresh legal pressure after two separate complaints were filed against him on Saturday, 13 June at police stations in two different districts of West Bengal — even as he braces for back-to-back questioning by multiple investigative agencies over three consecutive days starting 14 June.
Two Fresh Complaints, Two Districts
The first complaint was lodged at the Siliguri Cyber Police Station under Siliguri Metropolitan Police in Darjeeling district by businessman Sanjay Kumar Singhal. Singhal alleged that Banerjee made statements at multiple campaign rallies across West Bengal ahead of the recently concluded state Assembly polls that were sufficient to instigate post-poll violence. The complainant urged police to conduct a thorough inquiry and take appropriate legal action.
The second complaint was filed at Bishnupur Police Station in South 24 Parganas district by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Avijit Das, also known as Bobby — who had contested against Banerjee from the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency in both 2019 and 2024. Das accused Banerjee of involvement in corruption related to the distribution of relief materials to cyclone-affected residents following Cyclone Amphan, which struck in May 2020 and left South 24 Parganas as the worst-affected district in the state. Das has requested the district police form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.
Three Days of Questioning by Two Agencies
The fresh complaints compound an already intense legal calendar for Banerjee, who is scheduled to face questioning across three consecutive days — 14 to 16 June — by two separate investigative agencies in three distinct cases.
On 14 June, Banerjee is set to appear at the headquarters of the state police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Bhavani Bhavan in Kolkata. The questioning relates to alleged mismatches in the signatures of some party legislators on a resolution concerning the appointment of opposition leaders in the West Bengal Assembly. This will be his second round of grilling in the case, having already undergone an initial marathon session the previous Thursday.
On 15 June, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to interrogate him at its Salt Lake office in Kolkata in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-school-job case. The ED had served Banerjee a notice in the matter on 3 June.
On 16 June, Banerjee is scheduled to return to CID headquarters for questioning in a separate case in which he has been accused of inciting violence and allegedly threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the state Assembly polls. The CID served him a notice in that matter on Thursday evening.
Political Context
Banerjee, who is also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has emerged as one of the most prominent faces of the TMC's second generation of leadership. The cluster of complaints and agency summons comes in the immediate aftermath of a bitterly contested state Assembly election, a period that has historically seen a surge in politically motivated legal actions from rival camps in Bengal. Notably, the allegations span a wide timeline — from Cyclone Amphan relief in 2020 to campaign rhetoric in the run-up to the most recent polls — suggesting a coordinated effort by opponents to keep him legally occupied.
What Happens Next
Whether the two fresh police complaints at Siliguri and Bishnupur proceed to formal FIRs will depend on the respective police authorities' assessment of the allegations. Meanwhile, the outcomes of the CID and ED questioning sessions between 14 and 16 June are likely to shape the immediate legal trajectory for one of Bengal's most closely watched political figures.