Calcutta High Court grants interim protection to Abhishek Banerjee in three FIRs

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim protection to Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee from coercive action in three first information reports (FIRs) registered against him. The relief will remain in force until August 17.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, hearing a petition by Mr. Banerjee, observed that the court would ensure the petitioner cooperates with the investigation. “But what is the need for coercive action at this stage?” he asked. The court also directed the State government to provide a list of all FIRs filed against Mr. Banerjee.

The order comes a week after the court had told Mr. Banerjee's counsel not to club multiple cases while seeking protection, stating that each case would be considered individually. On Thursday, the counsel for Mr. Banerjee informed the court that three more FIRs had been filed against his client since the last hearing, even as he sought protection in eight cases.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Mr. Banerjee, argued that there was a significant delay in filing the FIRs. He noted that some cases date back to 2017, while a slew of FIRs was registered only after the change of government in West Bengal on May 4. He also described most of the complaints as “scandalously casual” in nature.

The State government strongly objected to the court's order. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the West Bengal government, said that “one individual” was seeking special treatment from the court. He argued that granting such relief would mean treating the petitioner differently from common citizens facing similar investigations.

This is not the first time the court has provided relief to Mr. Banerjee. On May 21, Justice Bhattacharyya had granted him protection in a case related to alleged inflammatory remarks made during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign. That protection remains in force until July 31. In a previous hearing, the judge had cautioned that if Mr. Banerjee failed to cooperate with the investigation, the protection would be revoked.

The series of cases against Mr. Banerjee began after the Trinamool Congress lost power in West Bengal and a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government assumed office. The court's latest order applies specifically to the three FIRs considered in Thursday's hearing, but the judge also directed the State to disclose the full list of cases against the petitioner, indicating possible further hearings.

Legal experts note that interim protection from arrest is not unusual when courts believe the accused is cooperating and the charges do not warrant immediate detention. The case highlights the ongoing legal scrutiny faced by opposition leaders in the State after the political transition.