'Ask probe officers whether I hid anything': Abhishek Banerjee hits back after pre-dawn police search

A visibly irritated Abhishek defended himself after the search operation, saying the police had thoroughly examined his residence.

"My entire residence was searched. Ask the probe officers whether I had kept anything hidden," he told reporters.

Why was Abhishek Banerjee's house searched?

In dramatic scenes that unfolded overnight, police reached the Kalighat residence of Abhishek Banerjee, allegedly broke open a lock to gain entry, and searched the premises while tracking Roy.

According to sources, officers from Shalboni Police Station arrived to investigate allegations that tickets were issued in exchange for money. The probe is linked to alleged financial irregularities involving Roy.

Police trace aide's location to Abhishek's residence

Police reached Banerjee's residence in Kalighat's Patuapara area after tracking Roy's tower location, which allegedly indicated his presence at the TMC leader's house.

The late-night operation triggered a flurry of activity, prompting Abhishek's aunt, former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, to rush to her nephew's residence.

Mamata, who lives in a nearby lane, left the house at around 8 am on Friday morning.

She declined to comment and avoided speaking to the media.

Search yields no seizure

According to reports, the investigating officers did not recover any incriminating material during the search.

The seizure list prepared by police after the operation indicates that no articles were recovered from the premises.

The document states that officers conducted a thorough search of the residence and its surrounding areas.

However, under the section titled "Description of articles seized", the entry was marked "NIL", indicating that nothing was seized during the operation.

'Political vendetta'

As the seizure list shows nothing recovered from Abhishek's residence, the TMC has strongly reacted to the action calling it "political vendetta, intimation and torture".

"Operation Lotus is targeting every leader who refuses to surrender to the BJP’s diktat. Disgraceful attack on an opposition leader. VINDICTIVE, CONNIVING, scumbag LOW LIFE tactics. SHAME," TMC MP Sagarika Ghose wrote on X.

CID scrutiny continues

The development comes days after Abhishek appeared before the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with a signature forgery case.

His appearance followed an order by the Calcutta High Court, which granted him immunity from arrest for three weeks while directing him to cooperate with the investigation.

After questioning him for more than five hours, the CID asked Abhishek to appear again on June 14.

The agency has also issued a fresh notice to the TMC MP over his alleged provocative remarks made during campaigning for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.