Kolkata, Jul 1 A court in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday directed TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee to give his voice sample on July 8 in connection with a police investigation into alleged intimidatory statements he made during the assembly election campaign.
The police have sought his voice sample under Section 349 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in connection with an FIR registered with Bidhannagar North police station over the alleged intimidatory speech made by him in April.
Section 349 of the BNSS empowers a magistrate to order any person to provide specimen signatures, handwriting, or voice samples for the purpose of a police investigation or criminal proceeding.
The Bidhannagar sub-divisional magistrate court directed Banerjee to provide his voice sample to the investigation agency on July 8.
Banerjee will have to give his voice sample before a magistrate at the Bidhananagar court on July 8 as per the direction, Public Prosecutor Md Sabir Ali said.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday released for reassignment a petition by TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee challenging a notice by the police for recording his voice sample in the case.
The high court did not pass any order on Banerjee's prayer for an interim order staying the police notice.
Justice Ghosh released the petition from his court for reassignment as a similar matter is pending before another bench of the high court.
The MP from Diamond Harbour had prayed for quashing the FIR.
The main matter relating to the alleged intimidatory speech is being heard before the bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya who on May 21 granted Banerjee protection from coercive action till July 31 in the FIR.
