Bengal jobs scam: CBI grills Abhishek Banerjee; ED conducts raids in Kolkata
This is the first time CBI has questioned TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the school recruitment scam in West Bengal
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)questioned Trinamool Congress (TMC) member of Parliament (MP) Abhishek Banerjee for the first time in connection with the school recruitment scam in West Bengal on Saturday even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out simultaneous raids at multiple locations in the multi-crore scam in Kolkata.
Both federal agencies have been probing the scam in the state education department for the past one year.
The CBI sent a notice to Banerjee on Friday afternoon directing the TMC’s national general secretary, who happens to be the nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, to appear at the agency’s office at 11am on Saturday.
The ED started its raids at around 7am. One of the teams reached the house of Sujoy Krishna Bhadra, who is said to be close with a section of TMC’s top brass. Bhadra had earlier told media that Abhishek was his ‘boss’ and he works in the MP’s office.
Bhadra was earlier questioned by the CBI after his name cropped up during interrogation of other accused persons, including Kuntal Ghosh, an arrested TMC youth wing leader.
Some of them referred to Bhadra as “Kalighat er Kaku” (Uncle of Kalighat). Kalighat is better known as Mamata Banerjee’s neighbourhood.
Raids were also conducted at the house of one Santu Ganguly, a close associate of arrested TMC legislator and former education minister Partha Chatterjee.
On Thursday, the Calcutta high court allowed CBI and ED to quiz Abhishek whose name cropped up after Ghosh, a prime accused in the case, alleged that central agencies were forcing him to name Abhishek Banerjee. Ghosh had even sent a letter to the Hastings police station in Kolkata in this regard.
“Central agencies are too eager to question Abhishek. Within a day after the Calcutta high court’s order they sent a notice. Abhishek was not even given 24 hours’ time to appear. If Abhishek can be questioned just because an accused alleged that agencies were forcing him to take the MP’s name, then why not Suvendu Adhikari is being questioned on the same grounds? Prime accused in the Sarada chit fund scam named Adhikari,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, told the media.
Abhishek, his wife Rujira and his sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir were earlier questioned by both the federal agencies in connection with the coal smuggling scam.
Exactly a year ago, on May 20, 2022, the CBI had lodged its first first information report (FIR) in the scam naming five senior government officials for their alleged involvement and started its probe into the scam on the orders of the Calcutta high court. The ED started a parallel probe to trace the money laundering trail involved.
Since then three TMC legislators, including Partha Chatterjee, under whose tenure the alleged irregularities took place, have been arrested so far in the case. TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya, former president of the state primary education board and the party’s legislator from Burwan, Jiban Krishna Saha were also arrested. A few other legislators were also questioned by the federal agencies.
“On this day, in 2011, we were sworn in to replace a 34- year- old monster regime and to usher in the Ma Mati Manush government in West Bengal. We renew the pledge today and re- dedicate ourselves to the cause of the people. The agency-raj of an authoritarian government at the Centre makes our task challenging, but millions over the country are with us in our march. Long live 20 May,” Mamata Banerjee tweeted on Saturday.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, “Every one knows why Sarada accused Sudipta Sen named Suvendu Adhikari. Abhishek Banerjee was summoned by the CBI on the orders of the high court. The BJP has nothing to do with this. If TMC has any allegations they should move court.”