Kolkata, Sept. 1 -- TMC national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday appeared before investigating officers at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and was questioned for nearly six hours over a scuffle outside the party's Camac Street office last week during the removal of an unauthorised billboard.
Banerjee was summoned after two cases were registered in connection with the incident, naming him and several other senior TMC leaders.
He arrived at the police station around noon, where a large number of TMC workers and supporters gathered with party flags and placards, raising slogans against the police and alleging a politically motivated probe.
Emerging after the questioning, Banerjee accused the BJP-led Bengal government of pursuing "political vendetta" against the Trinamool through arrests and the freezing of party accounts.
"Let them use the ED, the CBI, the Income Tax department or the police-whatever power they have. We are not afraid," Banerjee said.
He claimed video footage showed police personnel dragging TMC workers down the stairs during the clash and maintained that the workers had not attacked the police. He also alleged procedural lapses in the arrests, claiming several workers were detained without prior notice. Banerjee further alleged that he had not officially received any notice in connection with the case, despite reports that one had been delivered to his residence and details had reached the media.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.