Police serve fresh summons on Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata billboard removal case

Kolkata Police on Sunday served a fresh notice on All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, summoning him for another round of questioning in connection with a case involving the removal of a party billboard from a building on Camac Street, officials said.

A team from Shakespeare Sarani police station visited the Diamond Harbour MP's residence in Kalighat and handed the notice to his staff after initially encountering difficulty in getting it accepted. This was the second visit by police to Banerjee's residence within a week for the same purpose. Officers had earlier visited the house on October 7 but were unable to serve the notice because the MP was absent and no one was available to receive it.

According to a police officer, the latest notice was issued in connection with a complaint lodged by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) alleging that police personnel and civic workers had been harassed and assaulted while attempting to remove AITC signage from a building housing the party's office.

Second visit in a week

Police said the team reached Banerjee's residence on Sunday to serve the summons as part of the continuing investigation. Initially, no one at the residence was willing to accept the notice. However, after some time, it was handed over to a member of the MP's staff, an officer said.

Investigators have sought Banerjee's appearance for further questioning in connection with one of the cases registered following the confrontation over the billboard. The AITC leader has already appeared before investigators at Shakespeare Sarani police station and was questioned for several hours in the same case. Police have not disclosed the specific grounds for seeking another round of questioning or the details of the information they intend to obtain from him.

Dispute over party signage

The case stems from an incident on August 27, when Kolkata Police and KMC officials attempted to remove a billboard bearing the AITC's name and twin-flower symbol from a building on Camac Street in central Kolkata. The building houses an office associated with Banerjee, who serves as the party's national general secretary.

The removal operation triggered protests by his supporters, leading to a confrontation with police personnel and municipal workers. According to the KMC's complaint, civic employees and police personnel faced obstruction, harassment and assault while carrying out the removal. Three FIRs were subsequently registered at Shakespeare Sarani police station in connection with the disturbance.

Investigators have been examining the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the alleged involvement of those present during the operation. The fire department had also separately issued a notice in connection with the matter.

AITC targets BJP government

The fresh summons drew criticism from the AITC, which accused the BJP-led West Bengal government of using the police to target opposition leaders. AITC spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh condemned the timing of the notice, questioning the decision to pursue the matter during the festive period. "The BJP government has stooped so low that a notice has been served even after Mahalaya when the Durga Puja is just days away," Ghosh said.

The party maintained that the action reflected political pressure on its leadership, although police have described the summons as part of an ongoing investigation into the complaints arising from the August 27 incident. There was no immediate statement from Banerjee regarding the fresh notice or whether he would appear before investigators on the date specified.

The investigation remains underway, with police seeking further clarification from the AITC leader over the circumstances surrounding the confrontation at the Camac Street office.