Kolkata, September 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, to Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Kirti Azad in an extortion case registered against the cricketer-turned-politician.
A single-judge bench of Justice Kaushik Chanda directed Azad to fully cooperate with the investigation being conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police.
The court said the CID could summon Azad for questioning, if required, by serving him a notice at least seven days in advance.
The CID informed the court that Azad had been summoned to appear at its headquarters at Bhabani Bhaban in south Kolkata on September 22.
The case relates to allegations that a businessman was called to Azad’s bungalow in Durgapur on May 21 last year, where an associate allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh from him. The businessman alleged that he was threatened with closure of his cooking gas business if he failed to pay the money and claimed that the incident was recorded on audio.
An FIR was subsequently registered against Azad and some of his associates.
Azad has denied the allegations, describing them as part of a conspiracy to malign him. The Bardhaman-Durgapur MP has also claimed that he was not present in Durgapur on the day of the alleged incident and submitted his flight details before the court in support of his claim.
During the hearing of his anticipatory bail plea, Azad’s counsel questioned the delay in registration of the FIR, pointing out that it was lodged around 15 months after the alleged incident.
The defence also argued that there was no evidence establishing that Azad had received the alleged extortion amount. His counsel submitted that the MP was willing to cooperate with the investigation and that his custody was not required for questioning.
Azad has separately approached the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.
The interim protection from arrest will remain subject to his cooperation with the CID probe. The agency’s proposed questioning on September 22 forms part of the ongoing investigation into the extortion allegations.
Azad is among eight Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha members who continue to remain aligned with party supremo Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
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