HC directs Mamata, Abhishek to file affidavits in contempt case

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to file affidavits in a contempt case over the Martyrs Day rally last year.During the hearing before the division bench of Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee submitted that he would be representing Mamata Banerjee but hesitated when the bench asked who would be representing Abhishek in the contempt case.The division bench remarked that a rule would be issued against Abhishek. However, the advocate-on-record had filed the Vakalatnama (authorisation to represent), on behalf of both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.The division bench, however, didn’t issue a rule and instead sought affidavits to be filed within four weeks. If the petitioner, who filed the contempt plea, filed an affidavit in the subsequent two weeks, then the matter would be heard on Aug 17.The contempt petition claims that a 2018 division bench order laying down restrictions on political rallies in Kolkata to prevent disruption of traffic and public movement was violated during the Martyrs Day rally last year on July 21. It was alleged that the rally blocked an important junction, leading to public inconvenience.The 2018 order was passed by a division bench of Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya and Justice Arijit Banerjee.