Calcutta HC Rejects Abhishek Banerjee’s Plea for Fast-Track Hearing in Voice Sample Case

July 3, 2026

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday rejected Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s plea seeking a fast-track hearing on his petition for exemption from providing voice samples to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police.

The CID wants to collect Banerjee’s voice samples in connection with a case in which he has been accused of making allegedly inciting remarks and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah during an election campaign rally ahead of the recently concluded Assembly elections in the state.

Court Refuses Urgent Hearing

The matter came before the single-judge Bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya after Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, who had earlier heard the case, recused himself from further proceedings.

Banerjee’s counsel sought an urgent hearing, but Justice Bhattacharyya declined the request, stating that the matter would not be taken up before July 7.

Earlier, on June 30, Justice Ghosh had refused to entertain Banerjee’s plea seeking exemption from giving voice samples. The judge had also observed that the court could not dictate the course or manner of investigation to be adopted by an investigating agency.

CID Seeks Voice Sample

Following Justice Ghosh’s order, a district court in North 24 Parganas issued a second notice to Banerjee on July 1, directing him to appear before the court at 10 a.m. on July 8 so that CID officials could collect his voice samples in the presence of a Judicial Magistrate and forensic experts.

The High Court is now expected to hear Banerjee’s exemption plea on July 7, a day before his scheduled appearance before the district court.

Interim Protection Continues

Although Banerjee has been granted interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, by the Calcutta High Court, the court has also directed him to cooperate fully with the investigation.

Justice Bhattacharyya’s Bench had earlier instructed the CID to inform the court if the TMC leader failed to extend the required cooperation during the course of the investigation.