CID questions Trinamool veteran Sobhandeb in signature forgery case

CID officials reached the residence of Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in Bhabanipur on the morning of 20 June 2026 and questioned him.

The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday (June 20, 2026) questioned veteran Trinamool Congress leader and MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in the assembly signature forgery case.

He was the party’s original choice as Leader of Opposition before most MLAs sided with party rebel Ritabrat Banerjee.

The State Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) after two MLAs, Mr. Ritabrata and Sandipan Saha, submitted a complaint to the Assembly Speaker alleging that their signatures were forged in a letter appointing Mr. Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition. The CID has initiated a probe based on this FIR.

CID officials reached Mr. Chattopadhyay’s residence in Bhabanipur on Saturday morning and questioned him. “I have cooperated 200%. You can ask officials if yes… And I will cooperate in future,” he told the media.

He said he would not comment on the investigation process because it is a judicial proceeding.

‘wrong association’

BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar said the CID was bound to interrogate Mr. Chattopadhyay as the letter declaring him as LoP is at the center of the controversy. “We also feel bad. Sobhan Babu is a very senior leader who is respected in Bengali political circles. His association with wrong people has brought him this day,” Mr Majumdar said.

However, Mr. Chattopadhyay alleged that the MLAs who complained to the Speaker were themselves responsible for forging the signatures. He claimed that every Trinamool MLA, except one, was present when the resolution defining his name for the post of Leader of the Opposition was passed.

Acting on this resolution, party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee sent a letter to the Speaker defining Mr. Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. He himself was questioned by the CID regarding his involvement in the case. Officials also searched the premises of party president Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, which also serves as the Trinamool office.

Officials also questioned other Trinamool MLAs such as Nayana Bandhopadhyay and Firhad Hakim.

The controversy created a major rift in the party, with Trinamool expelling both Mr. Saha and Mr. Ritabrata from the party. However, they claimed that at least 58 Trinamool MLAs had sided with them to form a new faction of the “original” Trinamool. Mr. Ritabrata was later selected as LoP by rebel leaders.

Published – 20 Jun 2026 22:51 IST