The CID has summoned Barrackpore BJP MP Arjun Singh as part of its ongoing probe into alleged misappropriation of funds when he was the chairman of Bhatpara municipality.

A team of CID officers turned up at Singh’s Bhatpara residence late on Thursday night to serve a notice asking the BJP leader to appear for a round of questioning before the sleuths at Bhabani Bhavan on May 25.

Sources in the investigating agency said the case had been drawn up last year based on a complaint of a resident of Bhatpara in North 24-Parganas about alleged financial irregularities. The alleged defalcation happened when Singh was the chairman of the Bhatpara municipality as a Trinamul Congress leader.

“It is evident during the investigation that you have sufficient knowledge in this case,” read the notice that was put up outside the main entrance to his house. Singh has been asked to appear at 11am.

The notice to Singh comes around the time when the CBI has chargesheeted two Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, Trinamul MLA Madan Mitra and former Calcutta mayor Sovan Chatterjee in the Narada case.

Many believe the notice to Singh is the first retaliatory move by the Mamata Banerjee government, a charge that the CID vehemently denied.

Singh said he was yet to decide on whether he would turn up or not. “I will be consulting my lawyers. Then, there is a possibility of a heavy rain lashing down on Bengal around that time. Let’s see.”

Singh was the chairman of Bhatpara municipality between 2010 and 2019 before he quit Trinamul. CID officers said they had been pouring over several records and files about the financial transaction carried out by the civic body at the behest of Singh to understand if there were irregularities.

“We need to speak to him for a clearer understanding of the financial dealings. If he doesn’t turn up, we will have to decide on the next course of action,” said the CID officer.