Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has been summoned by West Bengal’s Criminal Investigation Department for questioning on Monday, June 1, in a forged-signature probe that has sharpened the party’s crisis after its crushing defeat in the state Assembly election.
The notice was served at Banerjee’s Kalighat Road residence on Saturday, asking him to appear at the CID headquarters at Bhabani Bhavan in Kolkata. Investigators are examining allegations that signatures of party legislators were forged on a letter linked to the nomination of veteran Trinamool leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
The summons comes at a politically sensitive moment for Trinamool, which has been reduced from the ruling party to a weakened opposition force after the Bharatiya Janata Party won 207 of the 294 Assembly seats. Trinamool secured 80 seats, a steep fall from its 2021 tally of 215, ending Mamata Banerjee’s long hold over the state government. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, is now chief minister.
Banerjee, the Diamond Harbour MP and a central figure in Trinamool’s organisation, has rejected suggestions of wrongdoing and accused the BJP-led state government of using the police machinery to target opposition leaders. His party has framed the CID action as part of a broader campaign to demoralise Trinamool workers after the election result.
The forgery case stems from a complaint linked to documents submitted to Assembly Speaker Rathindranath Basu for recognition of Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition. Investigators have already examined Trinamool MLA Nayana Bandyopadhyay, whose signature is among those under scrutiny. She has denied any forgery, saying she had attended a party meeting where the nomination was discussed and had written her name and constituency in block letters.
The legal pressure on Banerjee was compounded on Saturday when he was attacked during a visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district. He had gone to meet the family of Sanju Karmakar, a Trinamool worker killed in post-poll violence. Protesters threw eggs, stones and footwear at his convoy, and videos from the area showed chaotic scenes as security personnel tried to move him away. Police later detained several people in connection with the assault.
Mamata Banerjee condemned the attack and alleged that opposition leaders and workers were being intimidated under the new state administration. Trinamool leaders said the incident exposed a dangerous deterioration in Bengal’s political climate, while BJP leaders denied involvement and accused Trinamool of attempting to draw sympathy after losing power.
The episode has placed Banerjee at the centre of multiple pressures: a criminal investigation, a violent confrontation on the ground, and growing scrutiny over Trinamool’s internal cohesion. Within the party, the election defeat has intensified questions over strategy, leadership and the durability of its district-level network after 15 years in office.
Trinamool’s immediate challenge is to secure formal recognition as the principal opposition while containing defections, worker demoralisation and legal cases involving party functionaries. The alleged signature forgery has complicated that process because it touches directly on the party’s attempt to reorganise inside the Assembly.
The BJP government has presented its victory as a mandate for political change and administrative overhaul. Its leaders have promised action against alleged corruption and political violence under the previous regime. Trinamool argues that the new government is using that mandate to weaken the opposition rather than restore normal political competition.
Banerjee’s appearance before the CID, if it takes place as scheduled, will be watched closely for its legal and political implications. Investigators are expected to question him on the preparation, circulation and submission of the legislators’ letter. Any escalation in the probe could deepen the confrontation between the government and Trinamool at a time when the party is still adjusting to its diminished position.
