Abhishek Banerjee hate speech case: CID records BJP MLA Bikarna Naskar's statement
Synopsis
West Bengal's CID has recorded the statement of BJP MLA Bikarna Naskar as a witness in the Abhishek Banerjee hate speech case — even as Banerjee, the TMC General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP, has now defied two successive court orders to appear and submit voice samples. The prosecution is pushing for strong legal action, and the next court hearing could force a reckoning.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CID recorded the statement of BJP MLA Bikarna Naskar (Gosaba) on 9 July as a witness in the Abhishek Banerjee hate speech case.
Abhishek Banerjee , TMC General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP , is accused of making violence-inciting remarks and allegedly threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an election rally.
Banerjee has ignored two successive orders from the Bidhannagar Court to appear and submit voice samples to the CID.
Public prosecutor Bivas Chattopadhyay has filed an application before the Bidhannagar Court seeking strong legal action against Banerjee for defying court directions.
Naskar was allegedly attacked by TMC activists following the purported inflammatory statements, prompting the original police complaint.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police on Thursday, 9 July recorded the statement of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Bikarna Naskar — representing the Gosaba Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas — in connection with the hate speech case registered against All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee. Banerjee stands accused of delivering violence-inciting speeches at election campaign rallies ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
What Happened at Bhabani Bhavan
Naskar arrived at the CID headquarters at Bhabani Bhavan in south Kolkata on Thursday afternoon and provided his statement as a witness in the case. The CID had been entrusted with investigating the matter relating to the alleged violence-inciting remarks following a complaint lodged at a local police station.
It has also been alleged that Naskar was attacked by TMC activists in the period preceding the Assembly polls — an incident that sources link directly to the inflammatory statements purportedly made by Banerjee at the campaign rally.
What Abhishek Banerjee Is Accused Of
Banerjee — who is also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — allegedly made remarks at an election rally that witnesses describe as threatening and violence-inciting. Among the allegations is that he threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Banerjee has not publicly addressed the specific accusations in detail.
Court Orders Ignored Twice
The recording of Naskar's witness statement comes against the backdrop of Banerjee having ignored two successive orders from the Bidhannagar Court in North 24 Parganas directing him to appear in person and submit his voice samples to the CID in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts.
The most recent scheduled date for his appearance was Wednesday, but Banerjee did not comply. This marks the second consecutive instance of non-appearance, raising the stakes for the prosecution.
Prosecutor Seeks Strong Action
Following Banerjee's second no-show, public prosecutor Bivas Chattopadhyay filed a written application before the Bidhannagar Court seeking stringent legal action against the Diamond Harbour MP. In his submission, Chattopadhyay argued that Banerjee's repeated failure to appear before the court was a deliberate attempt to disrupt and delay the investigation.
The court is now expected to consider the prosecutor's application, and legal observers say the next hearing could be decisive in determining whether compulsory measures are invoked against Banerjee.
What Comes Next
With witness statements now on record and a formal application seeking punitive action pending before the Bidhannagar Court, the CID investigation enters a more consequential phase. Whether the court directs coercive action against Banerjee for defying its orders will be closely watched — both for its legal implications and its political reverberations in West Bengal.
Point of View
Not investigative. Two ignored court orders in a row is not a scheduling oversight; it is a pattern that courts typically treat as contemptuous obstruction. The public prosecutor's formal application for 'strong legal action' signals that the next hearing could move from summons to coercive measures. For a politician of Banerjee's stature, the optics of repeatedly defying a magistrate's court in his home state carry risks that go beyond the immediate legal exposure — particularly at a moment when the TMC is navigating post-election scrutiny.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Abhishek Banerjee hate speech case about?
Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC General Secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP, is accused of making violence-inciting remarks and allegedly threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an election campaign rally ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The West Bengal CID is investigating the matter.
Why did the CID record Bikarna Naskar's statement?
BJP MLA Bikarna Naskar from the Gosaba constituency was recorded as a witness in the case. It is alleged that Naskar was attacked by TMC activists following Abhishek Banerjee's purported inflammatory statements, and a police complaint was filed in connection with that incident.
How many times has Abhishek Banerjee ignored court orders?
Abhishek Banerjee has defied two successive orders from the Bidhannagar Court in North 24 Parganas directing him to appear in person and submit voice samples to the CID in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts. His most recent scheduled appearance was on Wednesday, which he did not honour.
What action is being sought against Abhishek Banerjee for skipping court?
Public prosecutor Bivas Chattopadhyay has filed a written application before the Bidhannagar Court seeking strong legal action against Banerjee, arguing that his repeated non-appearance is a deliberate attempt to disrupt and delay the investigation.
What happens next in the case?
The Bidhannagar Court is expected to consider the prosecution's application for punitive action against Banerjee. Legal observers say the court may invoke coercive measures if Banerjee continues to defy its directions, making the next hearing a critical juncture in the case.
