Kolkata, 11 June (H.S.) : Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee returned to Kolkata from New Delhi on Thursday afternoon ahead of his scheduled appearance before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the alleged fake-signature case involving party legislators.

Banerjee arrived at Kolkata airport at around 4:20 p.m. and left the terminal without speaking to the media. He was seen leaving in a vehicle shortly after landing. It remains unclear whether he would proceed directly to Bhawani Bhavan, the CID headquarters, or visit his residence before appearing before investigators.

The development comes after the Calcutta High Court directed Banerjee to appear before the CID by 6:00 p.m. on Thursday as part of the ongoing investigation into allegations of forged signatures on documents purportedly linked to legislators.

Security arrangements have been significantly strengthened at Bhawani Bhavan ahead of his appearance. Officials said enhanced deployment has been put in place to prevent any untoward incident and to ensure smooth conduct of the investigation.

The heightened security follows an earlier incident in South 24 Parganas where Banerjee reportedly faced protests and was allegedly attacked during a political visit, prompting authorities to take additional precautions.

The alleged fake-signature controversy has emerged as a major political issue in West Bengal. The CID is investigating claims that signatures of legislators were forged on documents submitted in support of certain political and administrative processes. The probe has intensified in recent weeks, leading to legal proceedings and heightened political confrontation between rival parties.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh