The West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday carried out a search at the Kalighat residence-cum-office of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as part of its investigation into an alleged signature forgery case that has triggered a major political controversy in the state.

The probe relates to allegations that signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a communication submitted to the Assembly Speaker regarding the selection of senior party leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition.

According to the complaint, two party MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, informed the Speaker that no resolution had been adopted at a May 6 meeting as claimed in the official communication. They further alleged that signatures were added later and questioned the authenticity of several entries on the document.

The CID team, accompanied by police personnel, arrived at the premises located at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata. The location serves as both Mamata Banerjee’s residence and an important party office. Investigators reportedly conducted the search after seeking information connected to the collection of signatures under scrutiny.

The development comes amid an intensifying investigation that has already seen multiple notices issued to Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Searches were also conducted at locations linked to him as investigators sought to verify details regarding the process through which the signatures were collected.

The signature forgery controversy has added to the political challenges facing the Trinamool Congress, with the issue exposing internal divisions within the party following its recent electoral setback in West Bengal.

Former MP and Telangana Rakshana Sena chief K Kavitha has accused the Telangana government of adopting a selective approach in dealing with land-related issues and demanded action regarding a parcel of land allegedly owned by Pawan Kalyan.

Addressing reporters in Hyderabad, Kavitha questioned the administration led by A Revanth Reddy and alleged that authorities were not acting uniformly in cases involving land that falls within protected water body limits.

Kavitha alleges land falls within protected limits

Kavitha claimed that around 10 acres of land associated with Pawan Kalyan is located in the Kodikunta lake area and falls under Shikam land and Full Tank Level (FTL) limits. According to her, official revenue records identify the land as protected lake property, and therefore authorities should examine the matter and take appropriate action.

She argued that if action is taken against certain properties for alleged violations involving lakes and water bodies, similar standards should be applied in all cases without exception.

Criticism of the Telangana government

During the interaction, Kavitha also criticised the Telangana government and alleged that large-scale irregularities had taken place in matters related to public land. She accused the administration of failing to address several issues while selectively targeting others.

The remarks come amid an ongoing political confrontation involving opposition leaders and the Congress-led government in Telangana, with land-related controversies becoming a key point of political debate.

No immediate response reported

There was no immediate public response reported from Pawan Kalyan or the Telangana government regarding Kavitha’s latest allegations at the time of reporting. The claims made by Kavitha have also not been independently verified by authorities.

Barely days after taking charge as Karnataka Chief Minister, D. K. Shivakumar is grappling with mounting dissatisfaction within the Congress ranks over cabinet formation and portfolio allocation.

Several legislators who were left out of the ministry, along with some unhappy over the departments assigned to them, have reportedly approached the party’s central leadership in New Delhi, creating a fresh headache for the new chief minister. The unrest comes at a time when Shivakumar is attempting to stabilize his administration following a major leadership transition in the state.

Cabinet formation sparks discontent

The Congress government in Karnataka was sworn in earlier this month with Shivakumar taking oath as chief minister along with a limited set of ministers. The cabinet still has several vacancies, leaving many legislators hopeful of a future berth.

However, the exclusion of several senior leaders and dissatisfaction over portfolio distribution have triggered lobbying efforts in Delhi. The issue adds to the political challenges facing Shivakumar as he seeks to balance regional, caste and factional interests within the ruling party.

Recent controversies add pressure

The latest developments come after a series of cabinet-related controversies. Senior leader Ramalinga Reddy had earlier expressed unhappiness over portfolio allocation, while Krishna Byre Gowda also raised concerns regarding responsibilities linked to his department. These episodes have highlighted internal tensions within the Congress government.

Shivakumar has also faced criticism over the absence of women in the first phase of cabinet formation, though he has indicated that future expansions could address representation concerns.

Delhi leadership likely to play key role

With multiple aspirants reportedly reaching out to the party high command, the Congress leadership may have to step in to manage competing demands and prevent factional tensions from escalating. The handling of cabinet expansion and portfolio adjustments is expected to be closely watched in the coming weeks.

For Shivakumar, who recently achieved his long-standing ambition of becoming chief minister, managing internal expectations may prove as important as governing the state itself.