Calcutta HC Extends Interim Protection To Abhishek Banerjee In MLA Signature Forgery Case

August 17, 2026

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday extended interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, to Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee in a case involving alleged forgery of legislators’ signatures.

Justice Kaushik Chanda, hearing the matter at the single-judge bench, extended the interim protection granted to Banerjee until November 30.

CID Probes Alleged Forgery Of MLAs’ Signatures

The state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating allegations that signatures of several MLAs were forged on an official document submitted to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker.

During the hearing, Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar, appearing for the state police, told the court that a forensic examination had established that the signatures of three MLAs were forged.

According to the state, the document contained signatures of 70 legislators, while complaints had been raised over the alleged forgery of signatures belonging to five MLAs.

State Alleges Forgery Took Place In Abhishek’s Presence

The AAG told the court that the alleged signature forgery had taken place in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee.

He argued that a resolution shown as having been passed on May 6 was not actually made on that date. According to the state’s submission, the document was signed on May 19 but was prepared on a general secretary’s pad carrying the date May 6 before being submitted to the Assembly Speaker.

The state also told the court that five MLAs had given statements alleging that their signatures were forged and that the forensic examination subsequently confirmed forgery in three cases.

Court Says Preliminary Material Does Not Show Banerjee’s Involvement

Despite the allegations made by the state, the court observed that, at the preliminary stage, it did not find that Abhishek Banerjee was involved in the alleged signature forgery.

The court’s decision to extend interim protection means Banerjee will continue to remain protected from coercive police action, including arrest, in connection with the ongoing CID investigation until November 30.

The investigation into the alleged forgery remains underway.