Police Raid Abhishek Banerjee’s Residence in Early Morning Search

Kolkata (IANS): Early Saturday morning, a team from West Bengal’s West Midnapore conducted searches at the residence of Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to trace his executive assistant, Sumit Roy.

At around 3 a.m., a team from the Salboni police station in West Midnapore—led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police and accompanied by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel—arrived at the Kalighat Road residence of Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

A team from the local Kalighat Police Station joined them shortly after. Initially, the police team, which included a significant number of women personnel, knocked repeatedly at the entrance. When no one responded, the joint team waited outside. Finally, after waiting for over two hours, the police used state Disaster Management Department personnel to break open the entrance lock and entered the residence.

Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose criticised the early morning police raid at the residence of party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to track his absconding aide. In a social media statement shared by the Trinamool Congress on its social media handle, Ghose described the arrival of the police and central paramilitary forces personnel at Abhishek Banerjee’s residence at 3 a.m. as a reflection of the “political vendetta, intimidation and mental torture”. She had also claimed that this action was prompted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s intention to deliberately target those opposition leaders who have refused to succumb to its pressure tactics.

“3 AM Saturday June 13. Police arrive at Abhishek Banerjee’s @abhishekaitc’s Kalighat residence in Kolkata. 5 AM: Disaster Management team called in to break open locks. 6.30 AM: Search begins, from the second floor to the terrace, lasting 90 minutes. Outcome? Seizure report says: NIL. No evidence. No wrongdoing. NOTHING. Just political vendetta, intimidation and mental torture. Operation Lotus is targeting every leader who refuses to surrender to the BJP’s diktat. Disgraceful attack on an opposition leader. VINDICTIVE, CONNIVING, scumbag LOW LIFE tactics. SHAME,” Ghose’s social media post said, also attaching a copy of the search report of the police.

The state police intended the raid and search operations to track down Roy, who is currently absconding in connection with a case at the Salboni Police Station. However, officials did not divulge the details of the case.

Sources aware of the development stated that authorities conducted the early morning raid because they apprehended that Roy might be hiding inside the residence.

Meanwhile, upon hearing news of the raid, Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot from her nearby residence on Harish Chatterjee Street.

The joint team of security forces left the premises after an operation lasting over two hours.

Later, Abhishek Banerjee accused the police of excesses, telling media persons that security personnel broke the lock of his entrance gate to enter his home.

Upcoming Interrogations

Two investigating agencies will interrogate the Trinamool leader in three different cases over three consecutive days: June 14, June 15, and June 16.

• Sunday, June 14: The state police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will question Banerjee at their Bhavani Bhavan headquarters. The case involves signature mismatches of some Trinamool legislators on a crucial resolution regarding opposition leader appointments in the state Assembly. This marks the second round of interrogation, following a marathon grilling session on Thursday.
• Monday, June 15: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will interrogate Banerjee at its Salt Lake office regarding the multi-crore cash-for-school-job case. The ED previously served him a notice for this matter on June 3.
• Tuesday, June 16: Banerjee will return to the CID headquarters. Investigators will question him regarding allegations that he incited violence and threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the recent Assembly polls. CID officials served him this notice on Thursday evening.