Abhishek Banerjee skips Kolkata police questioning, demands 48-hour notice
Synopsis
Trinamool Congress strongman Abhishek Banerjee has stonewalled a second round of police questioning over the August Camac Street scuffle, demanding 48-hour advance notice before any interrogation. With 14 arrests already made and Derek O'Brien among those named in FIRs, Kolkata police must now decide how hard to push back against one of Bengal's most powerful political figures.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee did not appear at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on 12 October for questioning, citing the need for at least 48 hours' advance notice .
The case relates to a 27 August scuffle at his Camac Street office between Trinamool workers, police, and KMC staff over billboard removal.
Three FIRs name Abhishek, Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien , and leaders Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee .
14 people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far.
Abhishek had already undergone more than six hours of questioning in an earlier round at the same police station.
Police are now deciding their next legal course of action after receiving his email response.
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Monday, 12 October failed to appear at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station in Kolkata for questioning linked to the 27 August scuffle involving party workers, police personnel, and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staff outside his Camac Street office in central Kolkata. Instead, Banerjee sent an email to the police station requesting a minimum 48-hour advance notice before any scheduled interrogation.
Background: The Camac Street Incident
Tension flared on 27 August when KMC officials, accompanied by police, arrived at Abhishek's Camac Street office to remove a billboard. According to police, Trinamool Congress workers led by Abhishek and other party leaders allegedly resisted the officials, triggering scuffles at the site. Three FIRs were subsequently registered at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station, accusing Trinamool activists of assaulting on-duty personnel and attempting to outrage the modesty of a woman police officer. 14 people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far.
Who Has Been Named
Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien, and other party figures including Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee were named in two of the three FIRs. Abhishek had previously been questioned once in the case, spending more than six hours at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on that occasion.
How the Notice Was Served
Police had initially attempted to serve Abhishek an interrogation notice at his Kalighat Road residence in south Kolkata on 8 October, but he was in New Delhi at the time — participating in what he described as the 'Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)' movement demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise. After learning of his return to Kolkata, police served the notice at his residence on Sunday afternoon. The notice stems from an FIR registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the KMC.
What Happens Next
City police are now weighing their next course of action following Banerjee's email response. It remains to be seen whether authorities will formally reschedule the interrogation within his stipulated 48-hour window or take a more assertive legal stance. The case has drawn scrutiny given Abhishek's stature as the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and one of the most powerful figures in the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Notably, this is the second round of police proceedings involving Abhishek this year, underlining simmering tensions between the party and civic authorities in Kolkata.
Point of View
Where the boundary between party machinery and civic administration has long been porous, Abhishek Banerjee's defiance tests whether the city police — technically under a state government his party controls — will enforce accountability on its own leadership. His prior six-hour appearance bought him credibility optics; this refusal erodes them. The deeper issue is structural: when KMC officials needed a police escort to remove a billboard from a politician's office, something had already gone wrong with governance. That the case has progressed to multiple FIRs and 14 arrests while senior leaders remain uncharged raises the accountability question that mainstream coverage keeps sidestepping.
NationPress
12 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Abhishek Banerjee skip police questioning on 12 October?
Abhishek Banerjee did not appear at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on 12 October, instead sending an email requesting at least 48 hours' advance notice before any interrogation. He did not publicly state a reason beyond the procedural notice demand.
What was the 27 August Camac Street scuffle about?
KMC officials, accompanied by police, arrived at Abhishek Banerjee's Camac Street office in central Kolkata on 27 August to remove a billboard. Trinamool Congress workers allegedly resisted, leading to scuffles. Three FIRs were filed, accusing party activists of assaulting on-duty personnel and attempting to outrage the modesty of a woman police officer.
Who else has been named in the FIRs?
Besides Abhishek Banerjee, Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien and party leaders Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee were named in two of the three FIRs registered at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station.
Has Abhishek Banerjee been questioned before in this case?
Yes. Abhishek Banerjee previously appeared at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and underwent more than six hours of questioning in an earlier round of interrogation related to the same case.
What action could police take after his email response?
City police are currently weighing their next course of action. They may reschedule the interrogation within the 48-hour window he has requested, or they could pursue a more assertive legal response. No formal announcement has been made as of 12 October.
