Calcutta HC judge recuses from Abhishek Banerjee's CID raids plea
Synopsis
Calcutta High Court's vacation bench judge stepped back from hearing Abhishek Banerjee's challenge to CID raids on two TMC offices, citing the risk of contradictory rulings since a related FIR petition is already before Justice Kaushik Chanda. The move consolidates the legal battle — but also raises the stakes for a single bench now holding both threads of a politically charged probe.
Key Takeaways
Justice Saugata Bhattacharya of Calcutta High Court recused on 15 June from hearing Abhishek Banerjee's petition against CID raids on two TMC offices.
CID conducted simultaneous raids on 9 June at offices on Harish Chatterjee Street and Camac Street in Kolkata .
The raids are linked to an investigation into alleged signature mismatches of TMC legislators on a West Bengal Assembly resolution.
Justice Bhattacharya cited the risk of contradictory verdicts, noting a related FIR challenge by Abhishek Banerjee is pending before Justice Kaushik Chanda .
The petition is expected to be transferred to Justice Chanda's bench for a consolidated hearing.
Calcutta High Court Justice Saugata Bhattacharya on Monday, 15 June recused from hearing a petition filed by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, challenging Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raids on two party offices in Kolkata. The recusal came on grounds that a related petition in the same case is already being heard by a different bench of the same court.
Background: The CID Raids
On 9 June, two CID teams conducted simultaneous raids and search operations at two TMC offices in connection with an investigation into alleged mismatches in the signatures of certain Trinamool legislators on a resolution concerning appointments to opposition-reserved slots in the West Bengal Assembly.
The raids were carried out while both Abhishek Banerjee and his aunt, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were in New Delhi attending a meeting of the opposition Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc. One of the raided offices is located adjacent to Mamata Banerjee's residence on Harish Chatterjee Street in South Kolkata; the other is on Camac Street in central Kolkata, where Abhishek Banerjee reportedly operated.
Why Justice Bhattacharya Stepped Back
A petition challenging the raids was placed before the vacation bench of Justice Bhattacharya. However, the judge noted that Abhishek Banerjee had already filed a separate petition before Justice Kaushik Chanda challenging the CID's FIR against him in the same legislators' signatures mismatch case.
Justice Bhattacharya observed that two single-judge benches of the same court hearing related aspects of the same case could arrive at contradictory verdicts — a situation he preferred to avoid. He accordingly recused and indicated that the petition challenging the CID raids should be listed before Justice Chanda's bench, where the FIR challenge is already pending.
The Legislators' Signatures Mismatch Case
The underlying investigation centres on alleged discrepancies in the signatures of some TMC legislators on a resolution related to opposition-bench appointments in the West Bengal Assembly. The CID has registered an FIR in the matter, which Abhishek Banerjee is separately contesting in court. This is the second time in recent weeks that the case has drawn judicial attention, underlining the political sensitivity of the probe.
What Happens Next
With Justice Bhattacharya's recusal, the petition challenging the 9 June CID raids is expected to be listed before Justice Kaushik Chanda's bench for a consolidated hearing alongside the FIR challenge. The development effectively consolidates both strands of the legal challenge before a single bench, which could streamline — but also complicate — proceedings given the breadth of issues involved.
Point of View
The court has inadvertently raised the stakes of Justice Chanda's eventual ruling. The timing of the original CID raids — conducted while Abhishek and Mamata Banerjee were in Delhi for INDIA bloc meetings — has already drawn scrutiny about the probe's political optics. A court that is now forced to rule on both the FIR and the search operations simultaneously will face pressure from all sides. The real test is whether the judiciary can insulate the proceedings from the charged atmosphere surrounding West Bengal's ruling party and its ongoing friction with investigative agencies.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Justice Saugata Bhattacharya recuse from hearing Abhishek Banerjee's petition?
Justice Bhattacharya recused because Abhishek Banerjee had already filed a separate petition challenging the CID's FIR against him before Justice Kaushik Chanda's bench in the same case. He reasoned that two single-judge benches hearing related aspects of the same matter could deliver contradictory rulings.
What were the CID raids on TMC offices about?
The CID conducted raids on two Trinamool Congress offices in Kolkata on 9 June as part of an investigation into alleged mismatches in the signatures of some TMC legislators on a resolution concerning opposition-bench appointments in the West Bengal Assembly. An FIR has been registered in the matter.
Which TMC offices were raided and where are they located?
Two offices were raided simultaneously on 9 June — one adjacent to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence on Harish Chatterjee Street in South Kolkata, and another on Camac Street in central Kolkata, where Abhishek Banerjee reportedly operated.
What happens to Abhishek Banerjee's petition now?
Following the recusal, the petition challenging the CID raids is expected to be listed before Justice Kaushik Chanda's bench, where Abhishek Banerjee's challenge to the CID's FIR is already being heard.
What is the legislators' signatures mismatch case?
It is a CID investigation into alleged discrepancies in the signatures of certain Trinamool Congress legislators on a resolution related to appointments for opposition-reserved slots in the West Bengal Assembly. The CID has registered an FIR and conducted search operations at party offices as part of this probe.
