Bengal violence case: Court clears CID to record Abhishek Banerjee's voice
Synopsis
A West Bengal district court has cleared the CID to record Abhishek Banerjee's voice on 30 June — a forensic step that could prove pivotal in the case accusing the TMC general secretary of inciting violence and threatening Home Minister Amit Shah. With a parallel signature-mismatch probe and a Calcutta High Court travel plea running simultaneously, Banerjee is fighting legal battles on multiple fronts.
Key Takeaways
A North 24 Parganas district court on 23 June permitted the CID to collect voice samples of Abhishek Banerjee , TMC general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP .
The case involves allegations of inciting violence and threatening Home Minister Amit Shah at a pre-election rally.
Voice sample collection is scheduled for 30 June , in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts.
An FIR was registered last month at Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station ; the case was handed to CID on 11 June .
Banerjee is also under CID scrutiny in a separate signature-mismatch case involving TMC legislators.
He has petitioned the Calcutta High Court for permission to travel abroad for eye treatment , with the hearing expected later this week.
A district court in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, on Tuesday, 23 June granted the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) permission to collect voice samples of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee. The order relates to a case in which Banerjee stands accused of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls.
What the Court Ordered
The Bidhannagar Court's judicial magistrate approved the CID's application — filed on the basis of video footage of Banerjee's alleged statements at a pre-election rally — and fixed 30 June as the date for the voice sample collection. The process will be conducted in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts, adding a layer of procedural oversight to the exercise.
Background: How the Case Reached This Point
An FIR was registered against Banerjee last month at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station. The case was subsequently transferred to the CID on 11 June. Earlier this month, Banerjee was questioned for six and a half hours at CID headquarters in Bhabani Bhavan, South Kolkata. The voice sample order marks a significant escalation in the investigation.
A Second CID Case Runs in Parallel
Banerjee is simultaneously under CID scrutiny in a separate matter involving alleged signature mismatches on a resolution by Trinamool Congress legislators concerning appointments reserved for the opposition bench in the West Bengal Assembly. He has already been questioned twice in that case, underscoring the breadth of legal pressure currently on the Diamond Harbour MP.
Banerjee Seeks Court Nod to Travel Abroad for Eye Treatment
Separately, Banerjee has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking permission to travel abroad for eye treatment, drawing the matter to the attention of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya's bench. The case is reportedly scheduled to be heard later this week. Banerjee has sought seven days of travel permission. According to reports, no formal legal bar currently prevents him from travelling abroad, though the court has asked him to cooperate in the ongoing investigations. His eye condition dates to October 2016, when he sustained serious injuries in a road accident on his way back to Kolkata from a party programme in Murshidabad district.
What Happens Next
With the voice sample collection set for 30 June and the Calcutta High Court travel plea likely to be heard this week, the coming days will be legally consequential for Banerjee. Forensic analysis of the voice samples, once collected, is expected to be a key piece of evidence in the incitement case — a process that could determine whether charges are formally framed against one of the TMC's most prominent national faces.
Point of View
But its political weight is anything but. Abhishek Banerjee is the TMC's most prominent second-generation leader and the organisational backbone of the party's national ambitions — having the CID build a forensic record against him, on a case tied directly to threats against the Union Home Minister, is a confrontation that cuts to the heart of Centre-state tensions in West Bengal. What is notable is the simultaneity: two separate CID probes, a questioning session that ran six and a half hours, and now a court-supervised voice collection — all while Banerjee is seeking judicial permission just to travel for medical treatment. The legal architecture being assembled around him suggests investigators are moving toward formal charges, not merely gathering material. Whether the Calcutta High Court grants travel permission will also be a signal of how much judicial latitude Banerjee retains as the net tightens.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the court allowed CID to collect Abhishek Banerjee's voice samples?
The Bidhannagar Court granted permission on 23 June after the CID applied on the basis of video footage of Banerjee's alleged statements at a pre-election rally. He is accused of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls.
When will the voice samples be collected and how?
The voice sample collection is scheduled for 30 June and will be conducted in the presence of a judicial magistrate and forensic experts, ensuring procedural oversight.
What is the background of the FIR against Abhishek Banerjee?
An FIR was registered against Banerjee last month at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station. The case was transferred to the CID on 11 June. Banerjee was also questioned for six and a half hours at CID headquarters in Bhabani Bhavan, South Kolkata, earlier this month.
Is Abhishek Banerjee facing any other legal cases?
Yes. Banerjee is under CID scrutiny in a separate case involving alleged signature mismatches on a resolution by Trinamool Congress legislators regarding opposition bench appointments in the West Bengal Assembly. He has been questioned twice in that matter.
Why is Abhishek Banerjee seeking permission to travel abroad?
Banerjee has petitioned the Calcutta High Court for seven days' permission to travel abroad for eye treatment. His eye condition reportedly stems from a road accident in October 2016 near Murshidabad in which he suffered serious injuries. The court is expected to hear the plea later this week.
