TMC Crisis Widens: CID reaches Mamata’s Kalighat residence in ‘forged signature’ probe

Kolkata: A team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday reached the Kalighat residence-cum-office of Mamata Banerjee in connection with the alleged forged-signature case involving Trinamool Congress MLAs.

Officials arrived at the party’s central office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street along with personnel from Kalighat Police Station and women police officers as part of the ongoing investigation.

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Investigation Linked to MLA Signature Row

The probe revolves around allegations that signatures of several TMC legislators were forged on a proposal submitted to the West Bengal Assembly Speaker regarding recognition of the Leader of Opposition.

According to officials, the CID visit followed a response submitted by Abhishek Banerjee, who reportedly informed investigators that the signatures were collected at the party’s central office.

The agency had earlier issued notices seeking details about how the signatures were gathered.

CID Team Reportedly Denied Entry

The situation turned tense after the CID team was allegedly prevented from entering the premises. Party leaders reportedly stated that the search could only take place in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee.

Former MP Subhasish Chakraborty defended the decision, saying the investigators would be allowed to conduct the search once Abhishek Banerjee was present.

The standoff further heightened political tension surrounding the already sensitive investigation.

How the Controversy Began

The controversy began after allegations surfaced that signatures of multiple TMC MLAs had been forged on documents supporting Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition.

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The dispute soon escalated into a wider political crisis within the Trinamool Congress, exposing growing cracks in the party’s leadership structure after the Assembly elections.

Historic Split Rocks TMC

In a major political setback for the ruling party, a large faction of TMC legislators reportedly rebelled against the leadership and backed expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee for the Leader of Opposition post.

The rebel camp later secured recognition from the Assembly Speaker, marking the first formal split in the party since its formation in 1998. Political observers describe the ongoing crisis as one of the most serious challenges faced by the Trinamool Congress in its history.