Calcutta HC warns against fresh FIRs targeting Abhishek Banerjee
Calcutta HC warns it may curb fresh FIRs against Abhishek Banerjee, granting interim protection till Nov 30 in three cases.
The Calcutta High Court on Monday signalled that it may require its prior approval before any new First Information Report (FIR) is registered against Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, expressing concern over the continued filing of criminal complaints despite earlier interim protection.
Hearing a plea by the Diamond Harbour MP, a single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya noted that the court had been dealing with the matter since May. The observation came as the court extended interim protection to Mr. Banerjee until November 30 in three FIRs linked to alleged irregularities in the party's Sebaashray health camps programme.
"Enough is enough," the bench remarked, drawing a parallel with the relief previously granted to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari when he was Leader of the Opposition. The court directed police not to take coercive action against Mr. Banerjee and asked him to cooperate with the investigation.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Mr. Banerjee, submitted that seven of the 16 FIRs against his client were filed by Abhijit Das, who lost to him in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He argued that the situation mirrored that of Mr. Adhikari, who in 2022 secured blanket protection from the High Court against the registration of new FIRs without judicial approval.
Justice Bhattacharyya questioned the substance of the complaints, noting that investigators had so far struggled to establish Mr. Banerjee's direct role. "Has he prescribed the medicines?" the court asked, while clarifying that custodial interrogation was not required. The court also questioned the timing of the complaints, noting that a whistleblower had not come forward earlier.
Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Mazumder submitted that while Mr. Banerjee may not have directly committed the alleged acts, he could be linked through subordinates. The court allowed police to proceed with further steps once Mr. Banerjee returns from the United States, where he is undergoing eye treatment with the Supreme Court's permission.