Kolkata: CID on Friday issued back-to-back summons to Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the first in the Signgate investigation for which he was asked to appear before the agency on June 14, and the second over comments he made during the poll campaign, for which he was summoned on June 16.
This came after Abhishek spent five-and-a-half hours answering CID's questions on Thursday after Calcutta HC granted him three weeks protection from arrest.
CID said it wanted to question Abhishek again on the Signgate case because he had "avoided direct answers" during Thursday's questioning.
Sources within CID said Abhishek repeatedly answered "I don't know" to several questions. Investigators sought clarification on how signatures of at least five MLAs who are said to have been absent from the party meeting appeared on the resolution.
"The investigation is focused on establishing the authenticity of documents with us and the timeline and circumstances under which they were prepared and submitted," a CID source said.
CID has also summoned Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh for questioning in the case on June 14. Ghosh has been summoned in the second half. Sources said they may make Abhishek confront Ghosh in course of the questioning.
Abhishek disputed CID's claim saying that he had cooperated with investigators and said he will attend the June 14 summons.
"I have never skipped or fled any investigation. Earlier, whenever CBI or ED called me in Kolkata and Delhi. I complied and cooperated. I am doing the same now as well," he added.
On the second summons over his comments during the poll campaign, Abhishek asked why he was being singled out when the Union home minister had "threatened to hang Trinamool supporters upside down."
"At the time I made the statement, Election Commission was in charge of law and order. Why was no FIR registered against me at the time?" Abhishek asked.
"Now that the govt has changed, I will be tagged in multiple cases. But if a case can be filed against me for saying "DJ will play", then why won't one be filed against the Union home minister?" he asked further.
When CID officials had gone to Abhishek's residence to deliver the second summons around 4.40 pm on Friday, Abhishek was not at home.
CID officials said they waited around three hours because there was confusion over who would receive the summons on Abhishek's behalf and could only deliver the summons at around 8 pm.
Abhishek contested CID's claims and said: "Today there was a meeting at ex-CM Mamata Banerjee's residence. At 4.30 pm, I got news of the notice. Through my secretary, I requested if the summons could be received by someone else on my behalf, and that if it had to be served to me personally, they would have to wait. I came back at 7.15 pm, and the CID officials were not there."
He added that CID officials could call him and he would inform them when he would be available.
CID sources said the complaint that was the subject of the second summons referred to speeches he delivered in Maheshtala, Arambagh, Haringhata and Nandigram in course of the poll campaign. The complainant, Rajib Sarkar, alleged that the Trinamool MP used aggressive language targeting then-opposition workers and his comments had the potential to disrupt peace.