Calcutta High Court warns of restraint on FIRs against TMC leader Banerjee

The Calcutta High Court issued a stern warning on Thursday that it would consider restraining authorities from lodging further criminal cases against Abhishek Banerjee if the interim protective measures it has granted are violated or circumvented.

Banerjee, a senior Trinamool Congress leader, has been granted interim protection through November 30 in relation to three separate FIRs. These cases pertain to alleged irregularities and mismanagement connected to the TMC's Sebaashray health camp initiative.

The court's warning appears aimed at preventing the filing of additional cases that could be construed as harassment or an abuse of the criminal justice process. The interim protection provides Banerjee respite from arrest in the named cases during the specified period, though the investigations are expected to continue.

The matter is likely to come up for further hearing before the stipulated deadline, when the court will reassess the need for continued protection and potentially direct the completion of investigative proceedings. Legal observers noted that the court's cautionary statement underscores judicial oversight of how successive FIRs are employed in sensitive cases involving political figures.