Abhishek Banerjee appears for questioning in Kolkata billboard FIR case
Synopsis
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee walked into a Kolkata police station for questioning on 1 September — a rare moment where the ruling party's own law enforcement apparatus is pursuing FIRs against its senior leaders. With Derek O'Brien defying an earlier notice and 14 arrests already made, the billboard row has escalated into a direct test of institutional accountability in West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee appeared at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station , Kolkata, on 1 September for interrogation in the billboard FIR case.
Three FIRs were filed after Trinamool activists resisted KMC staff attempting to remove an illegal billboard from the party's Camac Street office on 27 August .
FIRs allege activists assaulted on-duty police and attempted to outrage the modesty of a female officer.
Derek O'Brien skipped his Monday appearance; police refused a seven-day extension and issued a second notice for Wednesday .
14 people have been arrested so far; Banerjee's PA Sumit Roy is also due for questioning on Wednesday.
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee arrived at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station in central Kolkata on Tuesday, 1 September to face interrogation in connection with three FIRs filed over the forcible resistance to removal of an illegal billboard from his party's Camac Street office. A large crowd of Trinamool Congress supporters had assembled outside the station ahead of his arrival.
What Happened at the Police Station
Banerjee reached the police station a little after noon. Supporters gathered outside raised slogans as he entered. 'As long as our general secretary is inside the police station, all of us will remain assembled there,' one Trinamool Congress activist told reporters outside. The show of numbers underscored the party's intent to signal solidarity with its leadership amid mounting legal pressure.
Derek O'Brien's Absence and Fresh Notice
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien, also named in two of the three FIRs, was originally required to appear at the same station on Monday. He did not comply; instead, his counsel sent a letter to Kolkata Police requesting a seven-day extension. Police refused the request and served O'Brien a second notice directing him to appear by noon on Wednesday. Banerjee's personal assistant, Sumit Roy, has also been asked to present himself at the station by noon on Wednesday.
The Camac Street Confrontation
The chain of events began on 27 August when Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staff, accompanied by police personnel, arrived at the Trinamool Congress office on Camac Street to remove what authorities described as an illegal billboard on the building's roof. They were met with stiff resistance from party workers led by Banerjee, O'Brien, and other Trinamool leaders. Scuffles broke out between police and activists, triggering the filing of three separate FIRs at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station.
What the FIRs Allege
The three FIRs name Banerjee, O'Brien, and leaders including Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee. Kolkata Police has alleged that Trinamool activists not only assaulted on-duty police officers but also attempted to outrage the modesty of a female police officer. So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
What Comes Next
With O'Brien and Sumit Roy both due at the police station on Wednesday, the legal proceedings are likely to intensify in the coming days. The episode marks a rare instance of Kolkata Police — operating under a state government led by Trinamool's parent party — pursuing FIRs directly naming senior party leaders. How the investigation unfolds will be closely watched as a test of institutional independence in West Bengal.
Point of View
While Banerjee voluntarily appeared, suggests the police are not backing down. What is missing from mainstream coverage is the precedent question: if senior ruling-party leaders can face FIRs for resisting civic enforcement, it raises the bar for how political immunity operates in state politics — or should.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Abhishek Banerjee called for questioning by Kolkata Police?
Abhishek Banerjee was summoned in connection with three FIRs filed at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station after Trinamool Congress activists resisted Kolkata Municipal Corporation staff who arrived on 27 August to remove an illegal billboard from the party's Camac Street office. The FIRs allege assault on police personnel and an attempt to outrage the modesty of a female officer.
What does the illegal billboard case involve?
On 27 August, KMC staff accompanied by police went to Trinamool Congress's Camac Street office to remove a billboard deemed illegal from the building's roof. Party workers led by senior leaders including Banerjee and O'Brien resisted the operation, leading to scuffles and the subsequent filing of three FIRs.
Who else has been named in the FIRs?
Besides Abhishek Banerjee, the FIRs name Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien and Trinamool leaders Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee. Banerjee's personal assistant Sumit Roy has also been asked to appear for questioning.
What is Derek O'Brien's status in the case?
O'Brien, who was required to appear at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on Monday, did not comply. His counsel sought a seven-day extension, which Kolkata Police refused. A second notice has been issued directing him to appear by noon on Wednesday.
How many arrests have been made in the billboard row?
Kolkata Police has arrested 14 people so far in connection with the Camac Street billboard incident and the alleged assault on police personnel during the confrontation on 27 August.
