Abhishek Banerjee Appears Before West Bengal CID Over Alleged 'Inflammatory' Remarks

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee appeared before West Bengal CID officers on Tuesday in connection with a case over his alleged inflammatory statements during the Assembly election campaign.

According to PTI, the case was filed after social activist Rajib Sarkar lodged a complaint at Baguiati Police Station in North 24 Parganas district on May 5, a day after the Assembly election results were declared.

Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, has faced multiple rounds of questioning in recent days. PTI reported that he had successive lengthy interrogation sessions with the CID and the Enforcement Directorate on Sunday and Monday in connection with the alleged forgery of MLAs’ signatures and the alleged primary school job scam, respectively. Last Thursday, he was questioned by the CID in the signature forgery case.

The FIR against Banerjee over his alleged inflammatory statements was lodged exactly a month ago. It was alleged that Banerjee made provocative comments on post-poll violence and the vote-counting process, a senior officer said.

The complainant also claimed that Banerjee’s alleged inflammatory remarks were linked to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, PTI reported.

The case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Representation of the People Act, he said.

The complainant accused Banerjee of making inflammatory speeches during several election-related programmes between April 27 and May 3.

"He alleged that certain remarks made during public meetings were provocative in nature and had the potential to disturb public order and communal harmony," the police officer had said.

(With inputs from PTI)