Abhishek Banerjee Requests 48-Hour Notice for Police Inquiry in Kolkata Clash Case

Kolkata, October 12 (Daily Kiran) : Abhishek Banerjee, the general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Member of Parliament for Diamond Harbour, did not appear at the Shakespeare Sarani police station on Monday. He was summoned for questioning regarding a clash that occurred on August 27 at his party’s office on Camac Street in central Kolkata, involving party workers, police, and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staff.

According to police sources, Banerjee sent an email to the police station requesting at least 48 hours’ notice before the scheduled inquiry. It remains to be seen how the city police will respond to this request from the Lok Sabha member, who is also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

On Sunday afternoon, police officials from the Shakespeare Sarani station visited Banerjee’s residence on Kalighat Road in South Kolkata to deliver the notice. This was a follow-up to a previous attempt on October 8, which was unsuccessful as Banerjee was in New Delhi at the time.

The TMC leader was participating in a protest in the national capital organized by the “Cockroach People’s Party” (CJP), demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. After learning of Banerjee’s return to Kolkata, police went to his residence again on Sunday to serve the notice related to an FIR filed on a KMC complaint.

Banerjee had previously spent over six hours at the Shakespeare Sarani police station for questioning in this matter. Tension erupted on August 27 when KMC officials, accompanied by police, attempted to remove a hoarding from Banerjee’s office. It is alleged that TMC workers, led by Banerjee and other party leaders, resisted the officials and police, resulting in a scuffle.

The police have registered three FIRs at the Shakespeare Sarani police station, accusing TMC workers of assaulting on-duty personnel and attempting to disrespect a female police officer. So far, 14 individuals have been arrested in connection with this incident. The police are currently awaiting Banerjee’s response to the inquiry notice as they consider further action.