Abhishek Banerjee voice sample case: Calcutta HC hearing in limbo
Synopsis
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's plea in the Calcutta High Court against CID's move to collect his voice sample went unheard on Monday — and with a Bidhannagar court ordering the sample recorded on 30 June, his petition could become irrelevant if the High Court bench does not intervene in time Tuesday morning.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee's plea in the Calcutta High Court against CID voice sample collection was not heard on Monday, 29 June .
The Bidhannagar court has ordered his voice sample be recorded on 30 June before a magistrate and forensic expert.
Justice Kaushik Chanda's court did not sit Monday; the matter was briefly mentioned before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh , who relisted it for Tuesday.
Abhishek's counsel Ayan Bhattacharya sought interim protection for his client; the judge did not respond to the request.
The case stems from a cybercrime complaint over allegedly provocative DJ remarks made during the Assembly election campaign .
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's plea in the Calcutta High Court challenging the Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) move to collect his voice sample in the 'DJ remark' case remained in legal limbo on Monday, 29 June, with no clarity on whether it would be heard before a court-mandated deadline on Tuesday.
What the Case Is About
The Bidhannagar court had ordered that Abhishek Banerjee's voice sample be recorded on 30 June in the presence of a magistrate and a forensic expert. The CID sought the sample to examine comments he allegedly made about DJs during the Assembly election campaign — remarks that reportedly followed the declaration of election results. A case was registered against him at Bidhannagar under cybercrime provisions, with the CID alleging the DJ remark was provocative in nature.
Monday's Hearing Fails to Take Place
The plea was originally scheduled to be heard before Justice Kaushik Chanda, who had allowed the case to be filed last Thursday. However, Justice Chanda's court did not sit on Monday. Abhishek's legal team moved to secure a hearing before an alternative bench.
When the matter came up before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh at 5 pm, the state's lawyer indicated that the case documents had been received only recently and sought an adjournment to study them. Justice Ghosh directed the state's lawyer to familiarise himself with the matter and ordered that the case be relisted before the concerned bench on Tuesday.
Lawyers Seek Interim Protection
Abhishek's counsel, Ayan Bhattacharya, urged the court to confirm the Tuesday hearing publicly and, if needed, allow the matter to be mentioned first thing in the morning — given that his client was required to appear for voice sample collection that very day. He warned that failure to attend could expose Abhishek to police action.
Justice Ghosh acknowledged the relisting but said he could not direct how another bench would schedule or hear the case. When Bhattacharya sought at least a single day's interim protection for his client, the judge did not respond to the request, leaving the matter unresolved.
What Happens Next
If the Calcutta High Court does not take up the plea before the scheduled sample collection time on 30 June, Abhishek Banerjee's petition would effectively become infructuous. The CID had visited his Kalighat residence earlier to serve a notice in connection with the case. Whether the High Court bench intervenes in time will determine whether the voice sample is recorded as ordered or whether legal proceedings pause the process.
Point of View
With timing becoming as consequential as the legal merits. The absence of Justice Chanda on Monday, combined with the state's lawyer seeking an adjournment on grounds of unfamiliarity with case documents, raises questions about how urgently all parties treated a matter with a hard Tuesday deadline. If the voice sample is collected before the High Court can rule, the case tests the practical limits of interim relief in time-sensitive criminal investigations — a question with implications well beyond this single case.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Abhishek Banerjee DJ remark case?
It is a cybercrime case registered at Bidhannagar against Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee over allegedly provocative remarks he made about DJs during the Assembly election campaign, reportedly after election results were declared. The CID sought a voice sample to forensically examine those comments.
Why did the Calcutta High Court not hear the plea on Monday?
Justice Kaushik Chanda, before whom the plea was listed, did not sit on Monday. When the matter was mentioned before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh at 5 pm, the state's lawyer sought an adjournment, and Justice Ghosh relisted the case for Tuesday before the concerned bench.
What happens if the High Court does not hear the case before Tuesday's deadline?
The Bidhannagar court has ordered that Abhishek Banerjee's voice sample be recorded on 30 June. If the High Court does not intervene before that scheduled time, the petition would become infructuous and the CID could proceed with the sample collection.
What interim relief did Abhishek Banerjee's lawyers seek?
His counsel Ayan Bhattacharya requested at least one day's interim protection to prevent police action if Abhishek did not appear for voice sample collection. Justice Ghosh did not respond to that request.
Who ordered the voice sample collection and when?
The Bidhannagar court granted the CID's request to collect Abhishek Banerjee's voice sample and ordered it be done on 30 June in the presence of a magistrate and a forensic expert. The CID had also visited his Kalighat residence to serve a notice in connection with the case.
