Abhishek Banerjee questioned for over six hours in Kolkata billboard case

Questioning in Kolkata billboard case

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee left Shakespeare Sarani Police Station in Kolkata on Tuesday after more than six hours of questioning in connection with the firingegistered over the August 27 clash during the removal of an allegedly illegal billboard from the roof of his party office on Camac Street. The was questioned for several hours, with reports putting the duration at nearly six hours or more.

The confrontation broke out when Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, accompanied by police, entered Banerjee’s Camac Street office premises to dismantle a billboard mounted on an iron structure facing the road. Private security guards, party supporters and some TMC leaders resisted the move, leading to a scuffle with police and civic officials. Police later registered three FIRs and arrested several people. Banerjee has been named as an accused in two of the cases, along with party leader Derek O'Brien and other TMC leaders, including Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee,, according to the FIRs registered at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station. Police have arrested 14 people in connection with the incident so far.

The cases include charges related to obstructing government officials from performing their duties, unlawful assembly, assault and harassment of women police personnel. Specifically, the FIRs accuse Trinamool Congress activists of assaulting on-duty personnel and attempting to outrage the modesty of a woman police officer.

Banerjee's response and allegations

Speaking to reporters after the interrogation, Banerjee rejected all allegations against him and his associates, particularly the charge relating to the alleged outrage of modesty of the woman police officer. “There was no such incident that day. No one was molested. We have video evidence to support our claim. Our supporters were dragged down the staircase mercilessly by the police. If the government has been elected by the people, why is it so afraid?” he said. He also said footage showed supporters being dragged down stairs by police personnel.

Banerjee accused the BJP-led government in West Bengal of pursuing a campaign of “political vendetta” against his party, saying the action against him was part of a wider attempt to targetthe Trinamool Congress through the removal of party signboards, the freezing of accounts and criminal cases against leaders and workers. He alleged that the BJP government is selectively targeting the TMC and its workers, and said TMC workers and supporters were harassed after the chaos on August 27.

He questioned the urgency shown by authorities in conducting fire audits of TMC offices, alleging that similar action was not taken following earlier fire incidents. He linked the police action to the recent fire at the Alipore Administrative Building, where the District Magistrate's office and Zilla Parishad office are located. He claimed that around 4,000 EVMs, 4,000 ballot units and 4,000 control units were destroyed in the fire,and alleged that nearly 10,000 names were deleted during the SIR exercisein his Lok Sabha constituency, Diamond Harbour. He also said the incident at Forence Mansion on Mir Jafar Ali Street could have been prevented if the BJP government had shown urgency a month earlier.

Banerjee said party workers had been arrested without prior noticeand alleged procedural errors occurred. He said a TMC worker named Tarik was arrested and subjected to custodial torturein the same case, and 12 or 13 others remain in judicial custody. He said nearly1,000 people had been sent to his office to remove the party’s signboard.

“If they think they can silence us through false cases and arrests, they are mistaken,” Banerjee told reporters. “They can question me but I am not scared, they are.” He questioned why authorities were rushing to targetTMC leadersand institutions if the government was confident of its electoral support, and said the cases would not weaken the TMC. “They can do whatever they want. In a democracy, the rulers do not have the final word. False cases will not silence us,” he added.

Government response

Senior minister Agnimitra Paul rejected the charge of political vendetta, saying the law applies equally to everyone and those accused of heckling or assaulting police must face legal action.

Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien rejected allegations that private guards resisted officials and called such reports “fake news”. O’Brien did not appear before police on Monday despite being asked to do so. Lawyer Arka Nag said notices had been issued under Section35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, but copies of the FIRs had not been uploaded online.

TMC supporters gathered outside the police station during Banerjee’s questioning and raised slogans, alleging that he was being targeted by the state government.