Delhi Police summons Mamata Banerjee as witness in 13-year-old cases against rebel TMC leader Ritabrata

The Delhi Police on Monday served a notice to former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her statement as a “victim and witness” in a 2013 case against rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Ritabrata Banerjee, accusing him of heckling then finance minister Amit Mitra during a protest in the national Capital, officers aware of the development said.

A senior Delhi police officer, on conditions of anonymity, said the notice was served by a team that visited Mamata Banerjee’s Kolkata residence on Monday. “A notice has been given to Mamata Banerjee to record her statement as a victim and witness and not as an accused in a 2013 case pertaining to the alleged heckling and manhandling of Banerjee and Amit Mitra,” the officer said.

“The case was registered based on the complaint filed by the then resident commissioner of West Bengal in Delhi. Since the court observed that the statements of the victims and witnesses should be recorded, we have issued a notice to the former CM to record her statement as a victim and witness. She is not an accused in the case,” the officer added.

The development came weeks after Ritabrata Banerjee challenged Mamata Banerjee’s leadership and claimed the right to her party’s name and election symbol. The matter is now lying before the Election Commission of India which has allotted separate names and symbols to both factions as an interim measure.

On April 9, 2013, SFI activists led by its then national general secretary Ritabrata Banerjee gheraoed West Bengal and finance minister Amit Mitra outside the Planning Commission of India building in New Delhi and allegedly tore his kurta during a snap demonstration protesting an SFI leader’s death in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee was also present at the scene.

The Delhi Police arrested Ritabrata Banerjee and five others. Ritabrata did not comment on the notice till the time of print.

Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy from the Mamata Banerjee camp, however, targeted Ritabrata since he is often described by Mamata loyalists as a “BJP agent.” “By all probability, Ritabrata Banerjee has already approached the BJP to ensure that he gets away with a light punishment,” Roy said.

State BJP chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, “This matter concerns the TMC and the Delhi Police. Our party is not a part of any of this...”