Abhishek Banerjee questioned in street clash case, TMC supporters greet him with slogans

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee appeared before the Kolkata police Tuesday afternoon following a summons served in connection with the Camac Street hoarding clash case.

Banerjee arrived in a black sedan at the heavily guarded Shakespeare Sarani police station around 12.17 pm. As news of his arrival spread, several Trinamool workers gathered outside, chanting slogans including "Joy Bangla" and "Abhishek Banerjee Zindabad". Police personnel kept party workers away, allowing only Banerjee to enter without his security detail.

The case stems from an incident Thursday afternoon when Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officers and workers, accompanied by Shakespeare Sarani police, arrived at the Camac Street office to dismantle a hoarding, alleging it was illegal. Municipal staff were allegedly stopped from entering, triggering a heated altercation between Trinamool workers and the police.

The situation escalated when Abhishek Banerjee and TMC MP Derek O'Brien arrived at the scene and attempts were made to enter the premises forcibly. Visuals showed Derek lying on the ground to obstruct operations, while Abhishek faced allegations of harassing a KMC officer. Trinamool workers were also accused of physically attacking uniformed police officers and pulling their collars. Banerjee allegedly failed to attempt to restrain the party workers despite events unfolding right in front of him.

Three cases have been registered in connection with the unrest: two by the police and one by the KMC. The summons to Banerjee stems from two of these cases, and police sources indicated a questionnaire has been prepared for him. Banerjee has no protection from coercive action.

The police served the notice at Banerjee's residence Saturday evening. His personal assistant Sumit Roy has also been summoned for questioning on Wednesday at 12 pm, while a second notice was served to Derek O'Brien on Monday. The police are set to produce 14 people arrested in the case in court Wednesday.

The matter also reached the Calcutta High Court after Abhishek's counsel brought it to the Acting Chief Justice's attention, leading to a hearing before Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury's bench on Friday. However, Justice Basu Chowdhury stated that the plea lacked relevance and refused interim protection, as the signboard had already been removed.

After close to six hours of interrogation, Abhishek Banerjee left the police station around 5.44 pm. While speaking to the media, he said, “The incident involved thousands of police officers dismantling the signboard. Then yesterday, they used the excuse of a fire audit to harass our party workers. If the government had been so vigilant a month ago, many lives could have been saved in the hotel fire. On the day the election results were announced, there was mysteriously a fire at the DM office in Alipore that destroyed the EVM machines; was there no fire audit then?"

"The way the Chief Minister is threatening us and trying to undermine our party shows he thinks that is democracy, but ultimately, the people have the last word. He believes he can fabricate false cases and arrest us. There is custodial torture occurring in this matter, and already 13 individuals are in jail custody. On that day, nobody was heckled. Why are they so afraid that they have to vandalise the TMC party office? I challenge them again: if they continue to create false cases and imprison us, the people are watching everything unfold. The BJP knows they did not come to power through the people's vote. There are numerous corruption allegations against the Chief Minister. Let them do whatever they wish; let them impose non-bailable sections and send in the CBI, ED, and Income Tax authorities.”

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More