Police search Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata home at 3 am to trace aide
Synopsis
West Bengal police broke open the lock of TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata home at 3 am on 13 June to search for his absconding aide — a dramatic pre-dawn operation that drew Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the spot. It is the opening act of a gruelling week: Abhishek faces CID and ED interrogations on three consecutive days across three separate cases.
Key Takeaways
West Midnapore police, accompanied by CAPF personnel, raided Abhishek Banerjee 's Kalighat Road residence at around 3 am on 13 June .
The search was aimed at tracing his executive assistant Sumit Roy , who is reportedly absconding in a case at Salboni Police Station .
Police waited over two hours before breaking open the entrance lock with help from State Disaster Management Department personnel.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot from her nearby residence on Harish Chatterjee Street .
Abhishek Banerjee faces CID questioning on 14 June (signature mismatch case) and 16 June (inciting violence case), and ED questioning on 15 June (cash-for-school-job case).
A team from West Midnapore district police conducted pre-dawn search operations at the Kolkata residence of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee in the early hours of Saturday, 13 June, in an effort to locate his executive assistant Sumit Roy, who is reportedly absconding in a case registered at Salboni Police Station.
How the Search Unfolded
A team from Salboni Police Station in West Midnapore, led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police and accompanied by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, reached Abhishek Banerjee's residence on Kalighat Road in south Kolkata at approximately 3 am. The team included a significant number of women personnel. Officers from the local Kalighat Police Station also arrived at the site shortly after.
According to reports, the joint team knocked repeatedly at the entrance but received no response. They waited outside for over two hours before breaking open the lock with assistance from State Disaster Management Department personnel and entering the premises. The operation concluded after more than two hours, following which the security forces departed.
Why Roy Was Being Traced
The search was reportedly conducted on the apprehension that Sumit Roy, Abhishek Banerjee's executive assistant, might be sheltering at the residence. Roy is currently absconding in connection with a case filed at Salboni Police Station. The specific details of the case have not been disclosed by the state police.
Mamata Banerjee Rushes to the Spot
On learning of the raid, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — Abhishek Banerjee's aunt — rushed to the Kalighat Road residence from her home on nearby Harish Chatterjee Street. Her presence at the scene underscored the political sensitivity of the operation.
Abhishek Banerjee later accused the police of excesses, telling reporters that security personnel had entered his residence by forcibly breaking the lock of the entrance gate.
Three Days of Interrogation Ahead
The pre-dawn raid comes as Abhishek Banerjee faces interrogation by two separate agencies across three consecutive days — 14, 15, and 16 June.
On Sunday, 14 June, he is scheduled to appear before the state police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at its headquarters, Bhavani Bhavan, for a second round of questioning in a case involving alleged signature mismatches on a resolution concerning the appointment of opposition leaders in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. He had already undergone a lengthy grilling in this matter on Thursday.
On Monday, 15 June, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is scheduled to question him at its Salt Lake office in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-school-job case. The ED had served him a notice in the matter on 3 June.
On Tuesday, 16 June, he is again due to appear before the CID for questioning in a case in which he has been accused of inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the recent Assembly elections. The CID served him notice in this matter on Thursday evening.
With the Salboni search operation and three back-to-back interrogation summons converging in a single week, the legal and political pressure on the TMC's second-most prominent leader is at its most intense point in recent months.
Point of View
Particularly when the same state machinery is conducting the search. What is harder to ignore is the timing: the raid lands on the eve of three consecutive days of interrogation by the CID and the ED across three distinct cases. Whether this convergence reflects coordinated pressure or coincidence, it concentrates scrutiny on Abhishek Banerjee at a moment when the TMC's internal cohesion is already under strain. Mamata Banerjee's midnight dash to the scene signals how seriously the party's leadership reads the threat.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did police search Abhishek Banerjee's residence on 13 June?
Police from West Midnapore's Salboni Police Station searched Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat Road home in Kolkata at around 3 am on 13 June to locate his executive assistant Sumit Roy, who is reportedly absconding in a case registered at Salboni. The specific details of the case have not been disclosed by the state police.
Who is Sumit Roy and why is he being sought?
Sumit Roy is the executive assistant of TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. He is currently absconding in connection with a case filed at Salboni Police Station in West Midnapore; the exact nature of the charges has not been made public by the police.
What interrogations does Abhishek Banerjee face in the coming days?
Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled for interrogation on three consecutive days: CID questioning on 14 June in a signature mismatch case, ED questioning on 15 June in the cash-for-school-job case, and a second CID session on 16 June in a case alleging he incited violence and threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah before recent Assembly elections.
What is the cash-for-school-job case involving Abhishek Banerjee?
The cash-for-school-job case is a multi-crore corruption matter being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED served Abhishek Banerjee a notice in the case on 3 June, and he is scheduled to appear at its Salt Lake office on 15 June for questioning.
Why did Mamata Banerjee go to Abhishek Banerjee's residence during the raid?
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is Abhishek Banerjee's aunt, rushed to his Kalighat Road home from her nearby Harish Chatterjee Street residence after learning of the pre-dawn police search. Her arrival underscored the political significance of the operation.
