The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee to provide his voice sample in a case related to the remarks he made during the Assembly elections, Bar and Bench reported.
While campaigning for the polls, Banerjee had said that after the votes were counted, the DJs would play loud music that would make “ears ring”, the legal news outlet reported. This was allegedly a reference to political violence.
A voter filed a complaint alleging that his remark was intimidating and provocative.
On May 21, the High Court restrained the police from taking coercive action against Banerjee until July 31, while stating that the protection was conditional upon his cooperation with the investigation.
A trial court later allowed the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department to collect his voice sample. Banerjee challenged this order before the High Court. He has already been questioned by the agency in the case.
On Friday, while hearing Banerjee’s petition seeking an exemption from providing his voice sample, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya noted that the High Court’s May 21 order was subject to his cooperation.
The judge criticised Banerjee for failing to comply with that condition and described the petition as “an abuse of due process of court”.
The TMC leader’s counsel submitted in court that Banerjee was not disputing the authenticity of the…
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