Explained |What is 'fake signature' row involving TMC over picking Bengal LoP?

The Trinamool Congress on Monday expelled two of its MLAs—Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee for failing to attend meetings convened by the party leadership and their involvement in anti-party activities.

The move came soon after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told a press conference at the state secretariat that the two had filed complaints in connection with the 'fake signature' case in the state assembly, where the TMC endorsed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition.

The case stems from a controversy over a letter submitted by the TMC to the Assembly Secretariat on May 19 and signed by some 70 newly elected party MLAs offering support to Chattopadhyay as the LoP, a cabinet minister-rank post, which has been brought under the police scanner for dubious authenticity.

Ghosh thanked Chief Minister Adhikari for publicly naming the MLAs who had complained to the Speaker, saying it had justified the TMC's decision to expel them.

Addressing a press conference, the TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the legislators who had grievances over the "fake signature" controversy should have first brought the matter to the notice of the party leadership instead of writing to the Speaker.

What is the signature controversy?

CID of West Bengal Police is probing the allegations of fake signatures of TMC MLAs in its letter to the Assembly Secretariat for backing Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition.

Police sources said the TMC submitted its first letter regarding the LoP issue on May 6, but the Assembly rejected it because it was not sent by the TMC legislative party, a mandatory requirement.

A second letter signed by the TMC MLAs was submitted on May 19, but some of the signatures did not match the Assembly records, a police officer said.

The state Assembly Secretariat subsequently filed a complaint at Kolkata's Hare Street Police Station, alleging that TMC leader Nayna Banerjee's signature, which she signed after taking oath as the MLA, did not match the one in the letter of support for Chattopadhyay.

In its probe, the CID has so far questioned several TMC MLAs, including Nayna Banerjee, Bolpur MLA Chandranath Sinha, Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh, and Canning-East MLA Baharul Islam.

On May 6, some 48 hours after the assembly election results were declared, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had convened a meeting of the party's elected MLAs at her Kalighat residence, where Abhishek Banerjee interacted with the legislators to outline strategy and decide LoP selection.

The controversy has led the Assembly secretariat to hold back the allotment of the chamber to the Leader of Opposition, triggering protests from TMC legislators at the legislative premises.

Abhishek Banerjee was summoned by the investigation agency.

Banerjee cited health-related issues for not appearing before the CID officials on Monday as per the state investigating agency's summons, the sources said, adding he was undergoing treatment at home.

(with PTI inputs)