The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday (June 20, 2026) questioned veteran Trinamool Congress leader and MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in the Assembly signature forgery case. 

He was the party’s original choice as the Leader of the Opposition before a majority of the MLAs sided with party rebel Ritabrata Banerjee. 

The State Police had filed a first information report (FIR) after the two MLAs, Mr. Ritabrata and Sandipan Saha, submitted a complaint to the Assembly Speaker, alleging that their signatures were forged in the letter nominating Mr. Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition. The CID began the probe based on this FIR.

The CID officials reached Mr. Chattopadhyay’s residence in Bhabanipur on Saturday morning and questioned him. “I have cooperated 200%. You can ask the officials if I have... And I will continue to cooperate in the future,” he told mediapersons. 

He said he will not comment on the investigation process because the issue is sub judice.  

‘Wrong association’

BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar said the CID was bound to question Mr. Chattopadhyay because the letter declaring him as the LoP is at the centre of the controversy. “We also feel bad. Sobhan Babu is a very senior leader who is respected in the Bengal political circles. His association with the wrong people have brought this day upon him,” Mr. Majumdar said.  

However, Mr. Chattopadhyay alleged that the MLAs who complained to the Speaker were themselves responsible for forging the signatures. He claimed that every Trinamool MLA, except one, was present when the resolution finalising his name for the Opposition leader’s post was taken up.

Based on that resolution, party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee sent a letter to the Speaker finalising Mr. Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. He himself has been questioned by the CID regarding his involvement in the case. Officials have also searched the premises of party chairperson Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, which also serves as a Trinamool office. 

Officials have also questioned other Trinamool MLAs such as Nayana Bandhopadhyay and Firhad Hakim.

This controversy created a major rift in the party, with the Trinamool expelling both Mr. Saha and Mr. Ritabrata from the party. However, they claimed that at least 58 Trinamool MLAs have sided with them to form a new faction of the “original” Trinamool. Mr. Ritabrata was later selected as the LoP by the rebel leaders.