Abhishek Banerjee Gives Voice Sample Before Magistrate in Bengal Poll Speech Probe
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday appeared before the Bidhannagar Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Kolkata and provided his voice sample as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged intimidatory speech delivered during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign. The exercise was carried out in the presence of a judicial magistrate and a forensic expert, in compliance with directions issued by the Calcutta High Court.
Banerjee remained at the court for nearly one-and-a-half hours while the voice recording process was completed. After the proceedings concluded, he left the court premises without making any statement to the media. The voice sample is expected to be examined by forensic experts to determine whether it matches the speech that forms the basis of the criminal investigation.
The case stems from allegations that Banerjee made intimidatory remarks against political opponents during an election campaign meeting. Investigators had sought his voice sample to authenticate recordings forming part of the evidence. Although the Bidhannagar court had earlier directed him to provide the sample, Banerjee did not appear on two previous occasions, prompting the matter to reach the Calcutta High Court.
On July 10, the Calcutta High Court directed the Diamond Harbour MP to appear before the magistrate on July 15 and cooperate with the investigation. While extending protection from coercive action in the case, the court expressed displeasure over his earlier non-compliance and made continued legal protection conditional upon his cooperation with the probe.
Given concerns over possible protests, heavy police deployment was made in and around the Bidhannagar court complex. The High Court had also instructed the police to ensure Banerjee was not subjected to harassment, including any attempts to heckle or assault him while attending court or appearing before investigating authorities. The security arrangements ensured that the proceedings concluded peacefully.
The investigation will now proceed with forensic analysis of the recorded voice sample, a key evidentiary step before investigators decide on the next course of action. Separately, Banerjee has challenged the FIR itself before the Calcutta High Court, seeking its quashing. The outcome of the forensic examination and the pending legal challenge are expected to shape the future course of the case.
