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Kolkata: The West Bengal CID on Sunday, June 14, conducted marathon questioning of Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and party MLA Kunal Ghosh in Kolkata in connection with its ongoing probe into the alleged forgery of MLAs’ signatures on documents related to the appointment of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, an officer said.

Banerjee, who reached the CID office at Bhawani Bhawan in the morning for a second round of questioning in the case, was made to sit face-to-face with Ghosh during the questioning, the Beleghata MLA claimed after emerging from the CID office.

“I have answered all their questions. I have cooperated with their investigation,” Ghosh told reporters after an almost four-hour grilling session at the CID office.

On whether there was any interrogation session when he was questioned along with the party’s Diamond Harbour MP, Ghosh replied in the affirmative.

Seven-and-a-half hours of questioning

The interrogation of Banerjee, however, continued more than seven-and-a-half hours.

According to a well-placed source, the CID officers first questioned both Banerjee and Ghosh separately and then brought them together. “The interrogation sessions have been documented. Questions were asked on the days the meeting took place (on May 19). Questions on who all were present, who signed the resolution, were also asked,” the officer said.

The sleuths were reportedly not satisfied with some of the replies given by the Diamond Harbour MP during his questioning last week, and he was therefore summoned again.

Incidentally, during the earlier grilling, Banerjee was repeatedly asked about the details of the meeting where the “resolution was signed.”

Background of case

On May 6, TMC legislators met at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence and proposed the name of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for the post of LoP. Legislators present at the meeting reportedly expressed support by a show of hands.

The formal proposal, however, was not immediately submitted to the Assembly. Following the swearing-in of TMC MLAs on May 13 and 14, the Assembly Secretariat sought a resolution from the party naming its nominee for the post.

A fresh meeting was held on May 19, following which a document carrying signatures of 70 legislators in support of Chattopadhyay was submitted to the Assembly.

Questions were subsequently raised after discrepancies were allegedly noticed between signatures appearing on different documents submitted by TMC MLAs.

The matter eventually led to the registration of an FIR and a CID probe. The CID has already questioned several legislators in connection with the case.