Calcutta HC extends Abhishek Banerjee's arrest protection till July 17
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has again shielded Abhishek Banerjee from arrest — but the bigger story is the open war inside TMC's legislative wing. With 60 MLAs backing a rival faction that has now approached the Election Commission to claim the party's name and symbol, the signature mismatch case has evolved into an existential political crisis for the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
The Calcutta High Court extended interim protection from arrest for Abhishek Banerjee until 17 July 2025 in the West Bengal signature mismatch case.
Justice Suvra Ghosh directed Abhishek to continue cooperating fully with the CID investigation.
The CID launched the probe in May 2025 over alleged signature forgeries on a TMC resolution submitted to Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose .
A rival group of 60 TMC legislators submitted a fresh resolution; Ritabrata Banerjee was subsequently recognised as Leader of the Opposition.
The rival TMC faction met the Election Commission of India on Thursday , staking claim over the party's name and election symbol.
A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday, 4 July 2025, extended interim protection from coercive police action — including arrest — for All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee in the West Bengal legislators' signature mismatch case being probed by the CID. The protection now runs until 17 July 2025.
What the Court Directed
Justice Suvra Ghosh, presiding over the single-judge bench, granted the extension while simultaneously directing Abhishek Banerjee — also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — to continue extending full cooperation to the CID's ongoing inquiry. The court's order underscores that protection from arrest does not exempt the accused from the investigation process.
Background: The Signature Mismatch Case
The CID launched a formal investigation in May 2025 after complaints emerged over alleged mismatches in the signatures of certain TMC legislators on a resolution submitted to Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose. The resolution had proposed the appointment of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition, Asima Patra and Nayna Bandopadhyay as Deputy Leaders of the Opposition, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip of the Trinamool Legislature Party in the Assembly.
The alleged discrepancies were first flagged by TMC legislators Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha. Shortly after they raised the alarm, the party suspended both. Abhishek Banerjee had already been questioned twice by CID officials at the agency's headquarters at Bhabani Bhawan in South Kolkata, and had publicly stated his willingness to cooperate with investigators.
The Legislative Revolt and Its Fallout
The signature controversy triggered a significant political rupture within TMC's legislative wing. A group of 60 legislators, led by the officially recognised Leader of the Opposition, submitted a fresh resolution claiming majority support within the Trinamool Legislative Party. Speaker Rathindra Bose accepted the new resolution, after which Ritabrata Banerjee was formally recognised as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
Notably, on Thursday, the 'rival but majority' faction within TMC's legislative party met the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI), staking claim over the party's name and election symbol — a development that could have far-reaching consequences for the party's electoral identity.
What Happens Next
The case returns before the Calcutta High Court on 17 July 2025, when the bench will decide whether to extend protection further or allow the CID to proceed with coercive action. The ECI's decision on the rival faction's claim over the TMC's name and symbol is also awaited, and could reshape the political landscape in West Bengal ahead of future elections.
Point of View
The case has metastasised beyond a signature dispute into an open TMC split, with 60 legislators now before the Election Commission seeking the party symbol. If the ECI entertains the rival faction's claim, it would mark one of the most significant intra-party fractures in West Bengal's recent political history — and a direct challenge to Mamata Banerjee's grip on the party machinery she built.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court extend Abhishek Banerjee's protection from arrest?
The Calcutta High Court extended Abhishek Banerjee's interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, until 17 July 2025, in connection with the CID's probe into the West Bengal legislators' signature mismatch case. Justice Suvra Ghosh granted the extension while directing Abhishek to continue cooperating with investigators.
What is the West Bengal signature mismatch case?
The case centres on alleged mismatches in the signatures of certain TMC legislators on a resolution submitted to Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose, proposing appointments to key opposition posts in the West Bengal Assembly. The CID launched a formal inquiry in May 2025 after TMC legislators Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha flagged the discrepancies.
Who is Abhishek Banerjee and what is his role in this case?
Abhishek Banerjee is the TMC general secretary, a Lok Sabha member, and the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He has been questioned twice by the CID at Bhabani Bhawan in South Kolkata and has stated he will cooperate with the investigation.
What happened to the TMC legislators who flagged the signature mismatch?
TMC legislators Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, who first raised the alarm, were suspended by the party. Ritabrata Banerjee was subsequently recognised as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly after a rival faction of 60 legislators submitted a fresh resolution.
What is the Election Commission's role in this dispute?
The rival 'majority' faction within TMC's legislative party met the full bench of the Election Commission of India, staking claim over the party's official name and election symbol. The ECI's decision on this claim is pending and could have significant implications for TMC's electoral future.
