Pre-dawn police raid at TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s house in Kolkata: Here is what happened
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has alleged that the Police barged into the house of the party’s national general secretary and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, for a
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has alleged that the Police barged into the house of the party’s national general secretary and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, for a pre-dawn search operation. According to the TMC, the West Bengal Police, accompanied by central forces, forcibly entered the residence after breaking open a lock and searched the entire premises. Mamata rushes to Abhishek's residence The police action took a dramatic turn when former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee rushed to her nephew's residence. As the news about the police raid spread, more TMC supporters also rushed to the spot, raising tensions. Why did police raid Abhishek Banerjee? The police personnel left Banerjee's house on Sunday morning, and details about the outcome of the raid are not immediately known. According to police, the search at Banerjee's Kalighat residence was led by a team from Paschim Medinipur's Salboni Police Station and assisted by Kolkata Police personnel.
The operation began shortly after 3 am and lasted for nearly four hours. The police said officers repeatedly knocked on the doors of Banerjee's Kalighat residence but received no response. According to officials, the raid was in connection with an ongoing investigation into a financial fraud case registered at Salboni Police Station in Paschim Medinipur district. They were reportedly searching for the Diamond Harbour MP's personal assistant, Sumit Roy, in connection with the ongoing investigation. TMC cries foul The TMC has alleged political vendetta over the raid and claimed that no incriminating evidence was found at Banerjee’s house. “Seizure report says: NIL. No evidence. No wrongdoing. NOTHING. Just political vendetta, intimidation and mental torture,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X. “Operation Lotus is targeting every leader who refuses to surrender to the BJP's diktat. Disgraceful attack on an opposition leader,” she added.
Also Read | Signature forgery case: Abhishek gets interim protection from coercive action The ruling BJP, however, maintained that investigative agencies were merely following due process and that no individual was above the law. Mounting troubles for Abhishek Banerjee The raid came days after the West Bengal CID questioned Banerjee in connection with the alleged forged-signature case linked to the state assembly. Banerjee was also summoned for a second round of questioning on June 14 in connection with the alleged signature forgery case after the state CID sleuths were reportedly dissatisfied with his responses during questioning at the department headquarters two days ago. The Calcutta High Court had directed Banerjee to cooperate with investigators probing the assembly signature forgery case, and observed that the CID would not take any coercive action against Banerjee for two weeks. On Friday, CID officers again visited his Kalighat residence to serve a notice in connection with a cyber complaint lodged over certain remarks allegedly made by him.
The BriefWire