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West Bengal Police, assisted by central forces, executed a pre-dawn search at TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's home. TMC claims the raid is political retaliation despite no incriminating evidence found. The BJP claims investigative processes were merely followed amid ongoing legal scrutiny of Banerjee.
A team of CID officials at the residence of TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with a cyber-related case, in Kolkata(ANI)The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has alleged that the Police barged into the house of the party’s national general secretary and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, for a pre-dawn search operation. According to the TMC, the West Bengal Police, accompanied by central forces, forcibly entered the residence after breaking open a lock and searched the entire premises.
Mamata rushes to Abhishek's residence
The police action took a dramatic turn when former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee rushed to her nephew's residence. As the news about the police raid spread, more TMC supporters also rushed to the spot, raising tensions.
Why did police raid Abhishek Banerjee?
The police personnel left Banerjee's house on Sunday morning, and details about the outcome of the raid are not immediately known. According to police, the search at Banerjee's Kalighat residence was led by a team from Paschim Medinipur's Salboni Police Station and assisted by Kolkata Police personnel.
The operation began shortly after 3 am and lasted for nearly four hours. The police said officers repeatedly knocked on the doors of Banerjee's Kalighat residence but received no response.
According to officials, the raid was in connection with an ongoing investigation into a financial fraud case registered at Salboni Police Station in Paschim Medinipur district. They were reportedly searching for the Diamond Harbour MP's personal assistant, Sumit Roy, in connection with the ongoing investigation.
TMC cries foul
The TMC has alleged political vendetta over the raid and claimed that no incriminating evidence was found at Banerjee’s house.
“Seizure report says : NIL. No evidence. No wrongdoing. NOTHING. Just political vendetta, intimidation and mental torture,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.
“Operation Lotus is targeting every leader who refuses to surrender to the BJP's diktat. Disgraceful attack on an opposition leader,” she added.
The ruling BJP, however, maintained that investigative agencies were merely following due process and that no individual was above the law.
Mounting troubles for Abhishek Banerjee
The raid came days after the West Bengal CID questioned Banerjee in connection with the alleged forged-signature case linked to the state assembly.
Banerjee was also summoned for a second round of questioning on June 14 in connection with the alleged signature forgery case after the state CID sleuths were reportedly dissatisfied with his responses during questioning at the department headquarters two days ago.
The Calcutta High Court had directed Banerjee to cooperate with investigators probing the assembly signature forgery case, and observed that the CID would not take any coercive action against Banerjee for two weeks.
On Friday, CID officers again visited his Kalighat residence to serve a notice in connection with a cyber complaint lodged over certain remarks allegedly made by him. After initially finding him unavailable, investigators later handed over the notice when he returned home.
Banerjee has been asked to appear before the CID on June 16 in connection with the cyber case.
In addition, the Enforcement Directorate has summoned him on June 15 in connection with its probe into the alleged primary school recruitment irregularities case.
TMC's rebel crisis
The development comes as the TMC is facing its toughest challenge, following the West Bengal Assembly election results. The party has been struggling to contain the infighting and defections by its MLAs and MPs, which is now posing and existential threat to the party founded by Mamata Banerjee.
Key Takeaways
- The TMC claims that the raid was a politically motivated attack amidst infighting and declining support.
- Abhishek Banerjee is under investigation for multiple issues, including a signature forgery case linked to the assembly.
- This event highlights the ongoing tensions between opposition parties and the ruling BJP in West Bengal.
About the Author
Bobins Vayalil Abraham
Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.
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