The Calcutta high court has granted protection from coercive action to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee until July 31 for allegedly making a provocative speech in the run-up to the state elections.
The court has directed him to appear in person before the investigating officers and prohibited him from leaving the country without the court's permission, lawyers said.
Banerjee sought permission to appear virtually before the police, but the court denied the request.
The case will be heard again on July 20.
The Bidhannagar police commissionerate registered a first information report (FIR) on May 15 against Banerjee on charges of making provocative remarks in some of his speeches posted on social media.
The FIR was registered under four sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and two sections of the Representation of the People Act.
Two of the charges are non-bailable.
