The West Bengal CID has recorded statements from 13 Trinamool Congress MLAs as part of its investigation into an alleged signature forgery case.

Officials reported that three legislators claimed their signatures in the Meeting Resolution Book dated May 6 were not authentic. One MLA from Canning Purba stated he did not attend the meeting held in Kolkata.

The CID has issued a notice to Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, MP, directing him to appear before the investigating officer with the original meeting resolution book.

The case originated from a complaint alleging irregularities in a resolution submitted to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly concerning the appointment of Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition, Asima Patra and Nayna Bandyopadhyay as Deputy Leaders of Opposition, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip.

On May 9, Abhishek Banerjee informed the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly that the party had taken the decisions regarding office-bearers during a meeting of the All India Trinamool Congress legislative party. Subsequently, on May 18, the Principal Secretary of the Assembly requested Banerjee to submit the meeting minutes and resolution, along with signatures of MLAs present at the meeting.

Abhishek Banerjee submitted a copy of the meeting resolution book with an attendance sheet showing 70 MLAs present on May 6. However, on May 27, two AITC MLAs filed a complaint before the Speaker stating that no resolution had been adopted about the Leader of Opposition selection on May 6 and that they had only signed the resolution book on May 19. The complainants further alleged the resolution dated May 6 was “manufactured and fabricated,” highlighting that 14 signatures appeared in block letters.