‘They broke open the lock…’: Bengal Police raid Abhishek Banerjee’s residence for over 4 hours

In a dramatic pre-dawn operation that triggered a political storm in West Bengal, a large police contingent accompanied by central forces raided the Kalighat residence of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday in connection with a case filed at a police station in Paschim Medinipur district, a senior official said.

The development comes barely two days after the West Bengal CID questioned Banerjee in connection with the alleged forged signature case linked to the state assembly and amid a slew of fresh summons issued to her by multiple investigating agencies.

According to local sources, police teams, including Paschim Medinipur’s Salboni Police Station and Kolkata Police, arrived outside Banerjee’s Patuapara residence shortly after 3 am.

While police officers tried to enter the house, central force personnel took up positions outside the building.

TMC claimed that police teams entered Banerjee’s house by breaking the lock.

The sudden police intervention prompted former chief minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to rush to Abhishek’s house after being informed about the developments.
The operation lasted more than four hours and police personnel remained in the building throughout the morning. This morning, several officers were seen leaving Banerjee’s house and arguing outside before re-entering the house. Speaking to reporters after leaving the residence, Banerjee claimed that the police broke a lock and searched the entire house.

“They broke the lock, entered the house and searched every room,” he claimed.

However, authorities did not immediately disclose the specific case in which the operation was carried out.

The development comes in the backdrop of an intensifying legal and political battle involving Banerjee.