Senior Advocate Kalyan Bandyopadhyay announced on Thursday that he had been contacted by the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding a criminal investigation into allegations of forgery involving signatures of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) resolution. The resolution in question sought to appoint a Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal State Assembly. This controversy arises amidst existing internal strife within the TMC following its recent electoral setback in the State Assembly polls.
Bandyopadhyay, who serves as both a TMC leader and a Member of Parliament, is currently representing fellow party member Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in a legal challenge at the Calcutta High Court. The case contests the West Bengal Assembly Speaker’s decision to recognize rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the LoP. On Thursday, the High Court refused to issue a stay on the Speaker’s decision and scheduled the next hearing for July.
According to Bandyopadhyay, a CID officer called him that afternoon, intending to question him concerning the forgery investigation. He mentioned that a police officer also visited his home during his absence. In a conversation with Bar & Bench, Bandyopadhyay expressed his concerns over the CID’s approach, stating, “I am arguing the matter. Today the order was passed. If they want to say anything [to me], they could have pointed to the Court.”
He further clarified his position, asserting that he had no involvement in the alleged crime. “I don’t have anything to do with the matter because I am not an MLA. Those who are signatories of the resolution, that has been discussed in the writ petition. I am only arguing the matter,” he explained.
Bandyopadhyay criticized the police actions as a “direct attack” on his professional standing, highlighting his dual roles as a Senior Advocate and a Member of Parliament. In response, he penned a letter to the High Court Bar Association, seeking intervention against the perceived intrusion by the CID. In his letter, he queried, “How the police can interrogate a Senior Advocate who is arguing a matter in connection with a criminal case? Being a Senior Advocate and a member of the Bar Association, I bring it to your notice for necessary action, if you deem fit and proper to protect the dignity, respect, and privilege of an Advocate.”
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The sequence of events leading to this legal dispute began after the West Bengal Assembly election results were announced on May 4. Subsequently, a meeting of TMC MLAs was held on May 6, where Chattopadhyay was nominated as the LoP. This decision was later communicated to the Speaker’s office. However, complications arose when two MLAs alleged that they had not signed the resolution, claiming their signatures were forged. This prompted the Speaker to refer the matter to the police, resulting in the CID registering a case.
