Abhishek Banerjee summoned for voice samples on July 8 in Bengal court
Synopsis
Bengal's Bidhannagar Court has summoned TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for a second time — now on 8 July — to submit voice samples in a case alleging he threatened Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally. After Abhishek skipped Tuesday's appearance citing a parallel High Court plea, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh refused relief and then recused himself, leaving the case in fresh judicial limbo.
Key Takeaways
Bidhannagar Court in North 24 Parganas issued fresh summons to Abhishek Banerjee on 1 July , directing him to appear by 10 am on 8 July for CID voice sample collection.
Abhishek is accused of making violence-inciting statements and threatening Home Minister Amit Shah at a campaign rally.
He failed to appear on Tuesday , citing a parallel plea before the Calcutta High Court .
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh refused to grant relief and subsequently recused himself from the matter.
The case has been referred to Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty to assign a new bench.
An earlier bench led by Justice Saugata Bhattacharya granted Abhishek interim protection from arrest but directed him to cooperate fully with the CID.
A district court in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, on Wednesday, 1 July, issued fresh summons to All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee, directing him to appear before the court on 8 July so that Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths can collect his voice samples. The case relates to allegations that Banerjee made violence-inciting statements and threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a campaign rally.
What the Fresh Summons Direct
The Judicial Magistrate of Bidhannagar Court at Salt Lake in North 24 Parganas directed the Diamond Harbour MP to present himself at the court by 10 am on 8 July. The voice samples are to be collected in the presence of the judicial magistrate and forensic experts. This is the second such summons issued to Abhishek, the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, after he failed to appear as previously scheduled.
Why Abhishek Did Not Appear on Tuesday
Abhishek had been scheduled to appear before the district court on Tuesday for the same purpose. He did not comply, citing a parallel hearing before a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on his petition challenging the district court's earlier order regarding the collection of voice samples.
However, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court refused to grant him relief, observing that since Abhishek had already received interim protection from coercive police action — including arrest in the main case — from another single-judge bench, there was no basis for additional protection against submitting voice samples. Justice Ghosh also noted that courts cannot direct an investigating agency on which line of investigation to pursue.
Justice Ghosh Recuses; Matter Referred to Acting Chief Justice
Following his refusal to grant relief, Justice Ghosh announced his decision to recuse himself from further proceedings in the matter. The case has since been referred to Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty of the Calcutta High Court, who will determine which new bench will take up the hearing.
Earlier High Court Orders and CID Mandate
A separate single-judge bench — that of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya — had earlier granted Abhishek interim protection against coercive police action, including arrest. However, the same bench directed Abhishek to fully cooperate with the CID's investigation and mandated the agency to inform the court if he failed to extend the necessary cooperation. The fresh summons from the district court now sets 8 July as the next critical date in this legal standoff.
Point of View
Yet his recusal immediately muddies the waters again. The CID now holds a court mandate to report non-cooperation, which raises the stakes considerably for 8 July. Whether Abhishek appears or seeks yet another legal avenue will define whether this case moves toward evidence collection or deepens into a constitutional standoff between state agencies and judicial oversight.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Abhishek Banerjee been summoned for voice samples?
Abhishek Banerjee has been summoned by the Bidhannagar Court in North 24 Parganas so that CID investigators can collect his voice samples in a case alleging he made violence-inciting statements and threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a campaign rally. The court has directed him to appear by 10 am on 8 July in the presence of the judicial magistrate and forensic experts.
Why did Abhishek Banerjee not appear on Tuesday as scheduled?
Abhishek did not appear before the district court on Tuesday because a parallel hearing was under way in the Calcutta High Court on his petition challenging the district court's earlier order on voice sample collection. The High Court, however, refused to grant him relief.
What did the Calcutta High Court rule on Abhishek Banerjee's plea?
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court refused to entertain Abhishek's plea for relief from submitting voice samples, noting that he already had interim protection from arrest and that courts cannot direct investigating agencies on their line of inquiry. Justice Ghosh then recused himself, and the matter was referred to Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty.
Does Abhishek Banerjee have any protection from arrest in this case?
Yes. A single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya of the Calcutta High Court had earlier granted Abhishek interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, in the main case. However, the same bench directed him to fully cooperate with the CID and instructed the agency to report any non-cooperation to the court.
What happens if Abhishek Banerjee does not appear on July 8?
If Abhishek fails to appear on 8 July, the CID is mandated by the Calcutta High Court to inform the court of his non-cooperation, which could prompt further judicial action. The district court's fresh summons makes his appearance a legal obligation.
