Kolkata, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien did not appear before Kolkata Police on Monday for questioning in connection with FIRs registered over the removal of an allegedly illegal billboard from the roof of party leader Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street.
Instead, O’Brien’s counsel wrote to the police seeking seven days’ additional time to appear for interrogation. The lawyer cited the short notice served on O’Brien and said he had not been given adequate time to consult his legal advisers.
A Kolkata Police officer confirmed that a fresh notice would be issued to O’Brien and said the process had already begun.
Police personnel from Shakespeare Sarani Police Station had served the original notice at O’Brien’s residence on Prince Anwar Shah Road on Sunday. He had been directed to report to the police station by noon on Monday.
The police have also summoned Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress general secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP, and his personal assistant Sumit Roy. Banerjee has been asked to appear by noon on September 1, while Roy has been summoned for September 2.
The development came amid a dispute over the FIRs. Banerjee’s counsel had emailed police on Sunday night claiming that the three FIRs referred to in his notice were not available on the Kolkata Police website. Police subsequently rejected the claim, saying all three FIRs had been uploaded and their copies were available online.
Tension erupted on Camac Street on August 27 when Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, accompanied by police, arrived at Banerjee’s office to remove the billboard. Trinamool activists, reportedly led by Banerjee, O’Brien and other party leaders, resisted the action, resulting in clashes and scuffles.
The three FIRs registered at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station allege that TMC activists assaulted police personnel on duty and attempted to outrage the modesty of a woman police officer. Banerjee, O’Brien and other TMC leaders, including Humayun Kabir and Baishwanar Chatterjee, have been named in two of the FIRs.
Police have so far arrested 14 people in connection with the incident.
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