Why night search by cops at Abhishek home, Cal HC asks state
Times of India | 30 June 2026
Kolkata: “Why was the search operation conducted in the dead of night?” Calcutta High Court on Monday quizzed the state on the search and seizure operation conducted by West Midnapore Police at Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s residence on June 13.
The search was in connection with a Salboni police case where an illegal land transaction accusation was filed against Banerjee’s personal assistant Sumit Roy.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya observed that there was no scope for interim orders since the search was already over and sought affidavits from the state.
Trinamool had moved the single bench, calling the police search in the dead of night an “excess”. Senior advocate Kishore Datta, representing AITC, called it “a misuse of investigation power of the police”. He also contended that the search was carried out without a warrant.
According to the submissions, West Midnapore Police reached 121, Kalighat Road at 3am on June 13. They subsequently broke open the locks at 5.47 am to enter Banerjee’s home.
“What is troubling this court is that the complaint was of June 5 regarding illegal transaction of land in 2021. Then, why did the search and seizure operation have to be carried out this way?” Justice Bhattacharyya asked.
Representing the state, additional advocate general Rajdeep Mazumder claimed that Roy’s mobile tower was found in that location, adding that police could carry out the search under BNSS provisions.
Though Datta submitted multiple prayers like preservation of CCTV and audio and video footage of search, the judge only ordered for affidavits.
Another matter regarding Banerjee’s plea to travel abroad for eye treatment was also mentioned for urgent hearing before Justice Bhattacharyya. But it was again rejected and the bench said it would be taken up for hearing in regular course.