Abhishek withdraws HC plea amid court’s rebuke

Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP from Diamond Harbour, is facing mounting legal pressure in connection with the alleged “DJ remark case,” after a sharp reprimand from the Calcutta High Court on Friday on his refusal to provide a voice sample.

Banerjee had approached the High Court challenging a lower court’s order directing him to submit a voice sample as part of the investigation. However, during the hearing, the court expressed strong dissatisfaction over his non-compliance despite earlier protection granted to him from coercive action on the condition that he cooperates with investigators.

Amid the court’s stern observations, Banerjee’s counsel withdrew the petition challenging the voice sample directive.

The controversy starts from a speech delivered by Banerjee during an election campaign rally, where he issued a strong warning to political opponents. In his address, he stated that he would “see who comes to save them after May 4 (the result day)” and asserted that “the DJ will play— and it will play so loudly that it will leave ears ringing.” The remarks have been widely circulated and criticised as provocative.

Following the withdrawal, his lawyer submitted a fresh plea seeking security assurances for the TMC leader when he appears to comply with the order. The court took note of the request — specifically concerns about potential public harassment — and directed the state administration to ensure adequate protection during his appearance.

The case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which has summoned Banerjee multiple times in recent weeks. However, he skipped two consecutive summons, drawing criticism from investigators.

Last Wednesday, Banerjee was scheduled to appear before the Bidhannagar Court at 10 am for the voice sample test. Officials, including state counsel Bibhas Chatterjee, the investigating officer, and forensic voice experts, reportedly waited for nearly two hours, but he did not turn up.

Subsequently, the CID approached the court seeking stricter action. Acting on the request, the Bidhannagar Court issued a third notice, setting a final deadline of July 18 to complete the process.

According to court directions, Banerjee must now appear before the Bidhannagar Court at 12 pm on July 15 to provide his voice sample.

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