HC summons Mamata-Abhishek's affidavit for 'contempt of court' after blocking road on July 21

The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to submit formal affidavits in an active contempt of court case. A division bench comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Roy issued the mandate while presiding over a petition that accuses the Trinamool Congress of violating judicial regulations during its massive Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata on July 21, 2025. The ongoing contempt proceedings follow up on a previous judicial notice served to the two top leaders on June 19, requiring them to answer for the alleged breach of public assembly guidelines.

The legal dispute focuses heavily on allegations that the July 21 rally directly breached a binding 2018 High Court judgment designed to mitigate severe civic disruption during large-scale political events. The baseline ruling explicitly prohibits political organizations from completely blocking major transit junctions or vital thoroughfares in Kolkata, requiring that a functional portion of the carriageway remain continuously open for civilian commuters and emergency vehicles. The petitioner brought evidence demonstrating that the central Esplanade junction was entirely closed off during the Trinamool programme, causing widespread traffic gridlock and actively obstructing emergency services like ambulances in defiance of the established rules.

During the Friday court session, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee formally notified the division bench that he would be representing Mamata Banerjee in the proceedings. However, when the judges questioned who would be entering an appearance for Abhishek Banerjee, the senior counsel showed visible hesitation and refrained from providing a direct response, prompting the bench to remark that it would be forced to issue a formal rule against the TMC MP. This courtroom exchange carries notable political weight, following Kalyan Banerjee's recent removal from representing Abhishek Banerjee in a high-profile forged signature case before the state Assembly, after which the veteran lawyer publicly vowed to withdraw from the Diamond Harbour MP's legal defense. The bench has now slated the next combined hearing for August 17 to review the newly ordered affidavits.