Kolkata Police have summoned Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the clashes that broke out during the removal of a billboard from his Camac Street party office. A notice was served at Banerjee’s Kalighat Road residence on Saturday night, directing him to appear before the investigating officer at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station at noon on September 1. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien was also served a police notice on Sunday, officials said. So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the chaos.
The summons follows three FIRs registered over Thursday’s confrontation between police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials and TMC leaders and supporters who allegedly tried to prevent the removal of the billboard. The billboard, bearing TMC branding, had been installed on an iron structure atop the Camac Street party office facing the road. KMC officials, accompanied by police, eventually dismantled it after entering the building.
Abhishek Banerjee has been named as an accused in two of the three FIRs. Senior TMC leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien and former MLA Humayun Kabir, have also been named in the cases. Police have alleged obstruction of public servants, assault on on-duty personnel and an attempt to outrage the modesty of a female police officer.
Derek O’Brien, who was present at the site, has rejected allegations that private security guards resisted the operation, calling reports of such resistance “fake news”. He alleged instead that police had entered the office with an “illegal” notice and assaulted senior party leaders and supporters. Police said the investigation is continuing, with CCTV footage and other evidence being examined.
