Trinamool’s Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O’Brien booked over illegal signboard ruckus

The Kolkata police have booked Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O Brien and others in connection with Thursday’s ruckus during the dismantling of an alleged illegal signboard erected at the party office on Camac Street in Central Kolkata.

“Three cases have been filed, and 13 people have been arrested. Investigation is on,” Kunal Agarwal, Additional Commissioner, Kolkata police, said on Friday. While Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials lodged a complaint, police officers of Park Street and Shakespeare Sarani police station lodged two complaints.

According to the police, the TMC leaders and workers have been booked for rioting, unlawful assembly, carrying deadly weapons, voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant on duty, using force against women, and criminal intimidation.

Commotion ensued at Banerjee’s Camac Street office in Kolkata when a team of municipal corporation officials, accompanied by a huge contingent of police personnel, removed the party’s signboard atop the office building. The police said they sent a team to accompany the Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials to the spot on Thursday following a request for police assistance to execute the order to remove the unauthorised signboard atop the TMC party office on Camac Street.

According to the police, Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, Abhishek Banerjee, and other party leaders, including Humayun Kabir and Baisanor Chattopadhyay, along with their supporters, formed an unlawful assembly, obstructed and restrained the police personnel and KMC officers from entering the common area and discharging their duties, and used criminal force and assault against them, including women police officials.

They stated that the accused threatened the public servants with false implication in criminal cases and consequences to their service, thereby intimidating and deterring them from performing their lawful duties. Later, the police tried to enter the premises but were stopped by TMC workers and private security guards.

Finally, around 5.30 pm, the police personnel entered the building and removed the signboard. While the TMC accused the Kolkata police of hooliganism, Banerjee claimed that the police personnel heckled senior party workers and leaders.

“The police came in and forced their way into the office. Our senior leaders were pushed and heckled. Then they forcibly removed the signboard of our party from the building. No notice was served to us. We were not given any time to respond legally.

None of the legal procedures were followed. We will approach the High Court over this,” said Banerjee in a Facebook live from the spot. Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata.

With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata.

Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects.

Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010.

Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University.

Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India.

... Read More