kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; June 30, 2026 | Kolkata : West Bengal witnessed an extraordinary legal and political confrontation on Tuesday after Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee approached the Calcutta High Court at the last moment to avoid complying with the Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) directive to submit his voice sample. The move came just hours before the deadline set by the state investigating agency, setting the stage for a dramatic legal battle that has drawn widespread political and public attention.

The CID had directed Abhishek Banerjee to appear at Bhawani Bhavan and submit his voice sample by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation. However, moments before the expiry of the deadline, Banerjee's legal team urgently moved the Calcutta High Court seeking judicial intervention against the directive.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh scheduled the hearing of the matter at exactly 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The timing has created an unprecedented legal situation, as the hearing in the High Court is set to begin at the very moment the CID's deadline for submitting the voice sample expires. The simultaneous timing of the court proceedings and the investigative agency's deadline has intensified interest in both legal and political circles across the state.

Sources close to Abhishek Banerjee have indicated that the Trinamool Congress leader does not intend to submit his voice sample to the CID until the High Court delivers its decision or issues a clear direction regarding the matter. According to people familiar with the legal strategy, Banerjee's team believes that complying with the CID's order before the court hears the petition would effectively render the legal challenge meaningless.

Legal experts have described the move as a carefully planned strategic decision aimed at obtaining judicial protection before any irreversible step is taken in the investigation. By synchronising the court hearing with the CID's deadline, Banerjee's legal team is believed to be seeking temporary relief that could prevent immediate enforcement of the investigative agency's directive until the High Court examines the legality of the order.

The petition is being viewed as a crucial legal battle for the Trinamool MP. If Justice Tirthankar Ghosh does not grant interim protection or any form of stay against the CID's directive, Banerjee could face additional legal complications arising from his failure to comply with the investigating agency's order within the stipulated time.

The clock approaches 4:00 p.m., political observers, legal experts, and supporters from across West Bengal are closely watching the proceedings. The High Court's decision is expected to determine whether Abhishek Banerjee receives temporary legal protection or whether he will be required to appear before the CID and submit his voice sample in accordance with the agency's directive. The outcome of the hearing is likely to have significant legal as well as political implications in the days ahead.