Amidst the ongoing political turmoil in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the state government and the police. Abhishek Banerjee alleged that over the past few weeks, the West Bengal Police, specifically the STF and CID, have arbitrarily summoned or detained approximately 25 individuals connected to his office without any prior notice or adherence to basic legal safeguards.
Claims of Intimidation and Harassment
Abhishek asserted that these individuals are being intimidated and coerced into providing false statements. He further alleged that their phones are being tapped and even female family members are being harassed and threatened. Describing this as the worst form of political intimidation, he questioned the ethics of the administration. He pointedly remarked that the same government, whose Chief Minister was allegedly caught on camera taking bribes and who faces numerous pending CBI cases, is now utilizing state agencies to target him. Challenging his detractors, he declared that he will not bow down until his last breath.
Court Notice for Voice Samples
The tension escalated on July 1 when a court in the North 24 Parganas district issued a notice to the Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee. The case pertains to accusations of inciting violence during an election rally and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Judicial Magistrate at the Bidhannagar Court in North 24 Parganas has directed the Diamond Harbour MP to appear in court by 10 AM on July 8 so that CID officials can collect voice samples in the presence of the Judicial Magistrate and forensic experts.
Current Legal Stand
Abhishek was initially scheduled to appear before the district court on Tuesday for the sample collection. However, he did not attend the proceedings because a plea challenging the district court's order for voice sampling is currently being heard by a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court. Consequently, he remains focused on the legal challenge against the original directive.
