In the Mamata Banerjee CID raid that has rocked West Bengal’s political landscape, a team from the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) carried out search operations at the Kalighat residence of former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, June 9. The CID also searched the party’s central office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street, located within the same residential complex.
What Happened During the CID Raid
The CID team, accompanied by personnel from the Kalighat police station and a large contingent of women police officers, arrived at the premises around noon. According to reports, they were initially met with resistance from security staff attached to Kolkata Police, who refused entry in the absence of TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
A tense standoff followed, with senior officers from the Kalighat police station arriving on the scene and instructing security personnel not to obstruct the investigation. By late afternoon, the CID called in a larger police contingent and proceeded with the search despite the initial pushback.
In a parallel development, another CID team simultaneously visited Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street as part of the same probe. The timing of the Mamata Banerjee CID raid was notable, as she herself was in New Delhi at the time, attending a meeting of the INDIA bloc.
The Case Behind the Mamata Banerjee CID Raid
The raid is tied to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into allegations that signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a resolution submitted to the West Bengal Assembly Speaker. The resolution in question was reportedly related to the recognition of the Leader of Opposition.
The controversy has taken on added significance because it has triggered a split within the TMC itself — with reports indicating that 58 rebel MLAs have broken away from the party over the matter.
Key developments in the investigation so far include:
- The CID’s SIT, headed by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of West Bengal Police, has recorded statements from 13 TMC MLAs.
- Three legislators reportedly told investigators that the signatures appearing in the Meeting Resolution Book dated May 6 were not theirs.
- An MLA from Canning Purba reportedly stated that he did not even attend the meeting where the resolution was passed.
- The CID had earlier served formal notices to Abhishek Banerjee seeking information related to the alleged forgery, to which his legal counsel has reportedly responded in writing.
Political Fallout
The Mamata Banerjee CID raid has intensified the political storm already engulfing the TMC over the alleged forgery, which has triggered a significant rift within the party so soon after the recently concluded assembly elections. The party has publicly pushed back against the investigation, with TMC leaders accusing the CID of overreach and politically motivated action.
This is not the first time Mamata Banerjee’s residence-cum-party-office complex has come under the scanner. The premises have previously been the site of high-profile confrontations involving central agencies, including a widely reported incident involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the office of the party’s IT cell.
Reactions Pour In
The Mamata Banerjee CID raid has drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum. While BJP leaders in West Bengal have called for a “thorough and time-bound” probe, TMC leaders have dismissed the action as a politically motivated attempt to destabilise the party. Opposition leaders have demanded that the SIT submit its findings publicly once the investigation concludes.
What’s Next After the Mamata Banerjee CID Raid
With statements from multiple MLAs already on record and the SIT actively pursuing the case, attention now turns to whether Abhishek Banerjee will be summoned for direct questioning. The Mamata Banerjee CID raid is expected to remain a major talking point in West Bengal political circles in the coming days, particularly as the TMC works to manage the fallout from the 58-MLA split within its ranks.
For more updates on West Bengal politics, follow our Politics section.
(Story developing — further updates expected as the SIT investigation progresses.