The West Bengal CID has recorded statements of 13 TMC MLAs in a signature forgery case. Three MLAs claim their signatures were forged. The CID has summoned Abhishek Banerjee with the original meeting resolution book following a complaint by two MLAs.
The West Bengal CID has so far recorded statements of 13 Trinamool Congress MLAs as part of its probe into alleged signature forgery case. Officials said that three legislators have stated that the signatures in the Meeting Resolution Book of May 6 were not done by them.
They said MLA from Canning Purba has stated that he did not attend the meeting held Kolkata. CID has served a notice on Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, MP, to appear before investigating officer with the original meeting resolution book.
Background of the Disputed Resolution
The case stems from a complaint alleging irregularities in a resolution submitted to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly regarding the appointment of Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition, Asima Patra and Nayna Bandyopadhyay as Deputy Leaders of Opposition, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip.
Abhishek Banerjee informed the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on May 9 that the party had taken the decisions for appointing office-bearers during a meeting of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) legislative party.
Subsequently, on May 18, the Principal Secretary of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly wrote to Abhishek Banerjee seeking submission of the minutes and resolution of the meeting, along with signatures of MLAs present during the decision-making process.
Complaint Triggers Investigation
On May 20, Abhishek Banerjee submitted a copy of the meeting resolution book with an attendance sheet containing the signatures of the members present in the concerned meeting which mentioned that 70 MLAs were present at the meeting held on May 6.
On May 27, two AITC MLAs filed a complaint before the Speaker alleging that no resolution had been adopted regarding the LoP selection on May 6 and that they had only signed the meeting resolution book on May 19. The complainants also alleged that the resolution dated May 6 was “manufactured and fabricated,” with as many as 14 signatures appearing in block letters. The CID has recorded statements of 13 MLAs whose “signatures were in block letters”.
The Trinamool Congress has suspended the two MLAs – Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha for anti-party activities. Based on a complaint by the Principal Secretary of the Assembly, Hare Street Police Station registered a case on May 27 under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. CID took over the investigation on May 28. (ANI)
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