CID Searches Mamata Banerjee’s Address Amid Forgery Probe, Trinamool Cries ‘Political Vendetta’

KOLKATA — The political landscape of West Bengal witnessed an unprecedented escalation on Tuesday as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) carried out a high-stakes search operation at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street—the residence of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which also serves as the Trinamool Congress party office.

The raid, tied to an ongoing investigation into a high-profile forgery case, triggered a tense standoff between state investigators and top Trinamool leaders, throwing the state’s political temperature into overdrive.

The 4 P.M. Standoff: Residence vs. Party Office

The drama unfolded around 4:00 p.m. when a CID team arrived at the iconic address. They were initially blocked by former Trinamool MP Subhasish Chakraborty, who argued that the search could not proceed in the absence of both Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

The CID counter-argued that their target was not the private residence, but the Trinamool party office operating from the same premises. Accusing Chakraborty of “obstructing the investigation,” the team eventually forced entry. Simultaneously, a separate CID team raided another Trinamool Congress office on Camac Street.

Case File: The “Forged Signatures” Controversy

At the heart of this aggressive legal push is a dispute over legislative leadership. Here is how the case unfolded:

• The Catalyst: On May 20, a letter was submitted to the Speaker nominating Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly. The letter bore the signature of Abhishek Banerjee.
• The Allegation: Trinamool MLAs Ritabarta Banerjee and Sandipan Saha claimed their signatures on the nomination letter were forged. Following their public complaints, both MLAs were expelled from the party.
• The Escalation: An FIR was registered, and the case was handed over to the CID.
• The Missed Deadline: Abhishek Banerjee was repeatedly summoned by the CID but skipped personal appearances, citing health issues. On Tuesday, just minutes before his 5:00 p.m. deadline to appear at the state police headquarters, he submitted a last-minute request for a 15-day extension.

Political Crossfire: The War of Words

The raid has instantly polarized the state’s political brass, drawing sharp battle lines between the ruling BJP government and the opposition Trinamool Congress.

Leader	Party / Affiliation	Stance & Key Quotes
Kalyan Banerjee (MP & Senior Advocate)	Trinamool Congress	Condemned the search. Accused Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari of being “vindictive.” Noted that Mamata Banerjee is neither named in the FIR nor called as a witness, calling the raid pure harassment timed for when leadership is in Delhi.
Derek O’Brien (Rajya Sabha MP)	Trinamool Congress	Labeled it a “shameless political vendetta.” Claimed that after “vote loot,” the current administration is now attempting to “loot the files of a political rival.”
Agnimitra Paul (State Minister)	Bharatiya Janata Party	Defended the CID action. Stated that “no one is above the law” and accused the former CM of tolerating corruption for 15 years, demanding she be brought to book and arrested.
Kunal Ghosh (Senior Leader & MLA)	Trinamool Congress	Questioned the timing. Protested being blocked from entering the residence and demanded to know why the CID chose to strike specifically during Mamata Banerjee’s absence.

A Precedent-Setting Faceoff

This isn’t just a routine document search; it is a full-blown political earthquake. By entering 30B Harish Chatterjee Street, the CID has crossed a symbolic Rubicon in West Bengal politics. Whether this turns up the smoking gun in the assembly forgery case or solidifies Trinamool’s narrative of state-sponsored harassment will depend entirely on what—if anything—the CID recovered from those files. One thing is certain: the battle for West Bengal just got personal.