Bengal CID seeks handwriting samples of 3 TMC MLAs in signature forgery case
Synopsis
The CID's move to seek handwriting samples of three sitting TMC MLAs marks a rare judicial step inside a ruling-party leadership row. With Abhishek Banerjee already summoned, two MLAs expelled, and the Speaker rejecting the party's leadership slate, the Assembly signature case is fast becoming the deepest internal crisis Mamata Banerjee's party has faced post-election.
Key Takeaways
The Bankshal Court has allowed Bengal CID to collect handwriting samples of TMC MLAs Baharul Islam , Subhashis Das , and Arup Roy .
A five-member CID team headed by a DIG-rank officer is probing alleged signature inconsistencies flagged by the Assembly Secretariat.
TMC expelled MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha on 1 June for anti-party activities.
CM Suvendu Adhikari said he ordered CID involvement only after the Hare Street Police Station complaint.
Abhishek Banerjee was summoned on Monday but did not appear, citing health reasons.
The row stems from disputed minutes of a 6 May Kalighat meeting, reportedly signed by MLAs on 19 May .
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police has moved the Bankshal Court seeking handwriting samples of three Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs — Baharul Islam, Subhashis Das, and Arup Roy — in the Assembly signature forgery case, officials confirmed on Tuesday, 2 June. The court has granted the application, marking a significant escalation in the probe being run by a five-member team headed by a DIG-rank officer.
Key Developments in the Probe
The CID's application follows a complaint filed at Hare Street Police Station by the West Bengal Assembly Secretariat, flagging ‘inconsistencies' in the signatures of several Trinamool MLAs. The agency is assisting Kolkata Police in the investigation and has already visited the residences of four MLAs — Nayna Bandyopadhyay, Kunal Ghosh, Tapas Maity, and Baharul Islam — as part of its fact-finding.
TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee was reportedly summoned on Monday in connection with the case but did not appear, citing health reasons.
Expulsions Trigger Political Storm
On Monday, the Trinamool Congress expelled two MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, for what the party described as anti-party activities. The expulsions came minutes after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, addressing a press conference at Nabanna, said it was Ritabrata and Sandipan who had submitted a written complaint to the Speaker on the alleged signature forgery.
Adhikari, who also holds the Police portfolio, said he directed the CID to step into the probe only after the matter was formally brought to his notice through the Assembly Secretariat's complaint.
How the Signature Row Began
The former ruling party ran into procedural complications under Assembly rules over who would be designated Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader, and Chief Whip. After results were declared on 4 May, Mamata Banerjee convened winning MLAs at her Kalighat residence on 6 May, where, according to the party's account, MLAs raised their hands authorising her to decide the leadership slate.
The TMC subsequently named Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition, Nayna Bandyopadhyay and Asima Patra as deputy leaders, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip. A letter signed by Abhishek Banerjee was sent to the Assembly but was not accepted, with the Speaker citing that office-bearers had to be elected at a parliamentary party meeting — a step the TMC reportedly did not follow.
The Disputed May 19 Meeting
After the Speaker's rejection, MLAs were reportedly asked to sign the minutes of the 6 May meeting during a fresh sitting on 19 May at Kalighat. Several MLAs later said they were made to sign backdated minutes, which is said to have triggered the inconsistency claims now under CID scrutiny.
What Happens Next
With the court clearing the way for handwriting samples to be collected from Baharul Islam, Subhashis Das, and Arup Roy, the CID is expected to forward the samples for forensic comparison. The outcome could determine whether the probe widens to include additional legislators and party functionaries.
Point of View
Ordered by a CM who controls the Police portfolio. The optics cut both ways: the TMC will frame it as political vendetta, while Suvendu Adhikari's camp will point to the Speaker's rejection and the complaint by two now-expelled MLAs as independent triggers. The deeper story is the visible fracture within the TMC's post-poll leadership architecture, where even a routine leader-selection process has collapsed into a criminal investigation. How the forensic results land — and whether the probe stops at three MLAs or widens — will shape Bengal's opposition politics for months.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bengal Assembly signature forgery case?
It is a probe into alleged inconsistencies in the signatures of Trinamool MLAs on documents related to the party's post-election leadership selection in the West Bengal Assembly. A complaint was filed by the Assembly Secretariat at Hare Street Police Station, and the CID is now assisting Kolkata Police in the investigation.
Which TMC MLAs' handwriting samples has the CID sought?
The CID has sought handwriting samples of Baharul Islam, Subhashis Das, and Arup Roy. The Bankshal Court granted the application on 2 June.
Why were Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha expelled from TMC?
The Trinamool Congress expelled the two MLAs on 1 June for what it described as anti-party activities. Their expulsion came after CM Suvendu Adhikari said they had submitted the written complaint to the Speaker that triggered the formal signature probe.
Has Abhishek Banerjee been questioned in the case?
Abhishek Banerjee was summoned by the CID on Monday in connection with the signature case but did not appear, citing health reasons. He had earlier signed the TMC's letter to the Assembly naming office-bearers, which the Speaker rejected.
What sparked the leadership row inside TMC?
After the 4 May results, MLAs at a 6 May Kalighat meeting reportedly authorised Mamata Banerjee to pick the Leader of the Opposition, deputy leaders, and Chief Whip. The Speaker rejected the resulting letter, saying office-bearers must be elected at a formal parliamentary party meeting — a step the party reportedly did not follow.
