Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, August 11, extended till August 31 the interim protection from arrest granted to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in three criminal proceedings pending against him.
The court also fixed August 25 for passing its final order on Banerjee’s petition seeking quashing of the three FIRs registered against him.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya extended the interim protection granted to the Diamond Harbour MP till August 31 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Refusing to accept one of the complainant’s contentions that Banerjee is “super-influential” and that granting interim protection to him will affect the probe and subsequent trial, the court verbally observed that the situation in West Bengal had altered following the change in the ruling dispensation.
On July 30, Justice Bhattacharyya granted interim protection to Banerjee till August 17 in connection with three FIRs against him, lodged at Bhowanipore on May 27, Kalitala on June 16 and Bishnupur on June 16.
On a prayer by Banerjee’s lawyer, the court directed the police authorities to supply copies of all the FIRs registered against the Diamond Harbour MP.
The state informed the court on August 6 that a total of 16 FIRs were pending against Banerjee in different police stations across the state over various allegations.
Opposing the prayer for interim protection from coercive action, complainant Abhijit Das’ counsel Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee claimed that Banerjee is “super-influential”.
He claimed that if the petitioner is not taken into custody, witnesses will be intimidated and prevented from deposing before the trial courts.
Chatterjee also prayed for police protection to his client if Banerjee is granted interim protection, claiming that Das may get “murdered” otherwise.
Justice Bhattacharyya verbally observed that following a change in the government, the situation in the state has changed.
He also asked if Banerjee is so influential even now, then how demolition of his MP office at Amtala was undertaken, regarding which a petition is pending before the high court.
Justice Bhattacharyya noted that the demolition was stalled by the high court during a special sitting on a Sunday, pointing out that this does not support Chatterjee’s contention.
The court asked whether the demolition of Banerjee’s party office could have been taken up before the current dispensation came to power, maintaining that this goes to show the situation has changed.
Justice Bhattacharyya noted that the demolition was also taken up on a Friday, requiring the court to sit on a weekend.
During the hearing of a petition on Monday seeking permission for a rally in Kolkata on Tuesday, Justice Bhattacharyya had expressed anguish that refusal by police of permission is generally being communicated on Friday evenings, forcing the court to hold special sittings on weekends to hear challenges to those decisions.
Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra stated that the building on Diamond Harbour Road where Banerjee’s MP office was located did not have any sanctioned plan and that the ownership of the property is not in the name of the TMC leader.
Seeking protection for Banerjee in the quashing application, his lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan referred to the quashing of 13 FIRs by the high court in October 2025, against Suvendu Adhikari, who was then the leader of the opposition in the Assembly.
The senior advocate stated that Banerjee is cooperating with the investigation and will continue to do so.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju opposed the prayer for quashing criminal proceedings against Banerjee and interim protection from coercive action, arguing that if an FIR discloses cognisable offence, it cannot be quashed at the threshold stage.
He stated that the investigation is at a nascent stage.
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