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Kolkata police scanner on ED raid at office of Abhishek Banerjee’s firm
An executive of Abhishek Banerjee’s firm lodged a police complaint stating that ED officials downloaded 16 Excel files on a desktop computer during an 18-hour raid at the company’s office between August 21 and 22
The Kolkata police on Wednesday questioned an executive of Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd in connection with the complaint he lodged against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stating that the federal agency downloaded 16 Excel files on a desktop computer during an 18-hour raid at the company’s office between August 21 and 22.
Although the ED team seized several documents and hard discs from the office at New Alipore in south Kolkata, the desktop computer was not taken away.
The raid has triggered a slugfest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) because after the raid the ED issued a press statement saying “Abhishek Banerjee, MP from TMC, is the chief executive officer (CEO) of M/s Leaps and Bounds Private Limited and was also a director in the company from April 2012 to January 2014.”
Abhishek Banerjee is the nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s national general secretary.
The raid was conducted in connection with the bribe-for-job scam in the education department, the ED statement said.
Chandan Banerjee, a Leaps and Bounds executive, lodged a complaint with the cybercrime branch of the Kolkata police on August 25 stating that the Excel files were noticed after the ED officers left.
The Kolkata police sought an explanation from ED after receiving the complaint.
Responding to the query, the ED wrote to the Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal on August 26 that one of the officers involved in the raid mistakenly downloaded the files while searching for hostels for his daughter, who is a student at a government engineering college in Howrah.
“After this, the ED was asked to send its officer to the police headquarters for questioning but the federal agency did not comply,” a police officer, who did not want to be identified, said.
Meanwhile, Chandan Banerjee was also summoned by ED on August 28 for questioning in the bribe-for-job scam, Kolkata police officials said.
“Banerjee’s statement in regard to the downloading of the files was recorded on Wednesday,” a Kolkata police officer said on condition of anonymity.
The issue surfaced at the Calcutta high court on Tuesday as well during a hearing on the education department scam. Justice Amrita Sinha pulled up ED for using the computer for personal work during an official raid.
No ED official commented on the police investigation.
Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said the raid was conducted a day after he returned to Kolkata from the USA where he had gone for an eye treatment, and alleged that ED officials had left those 16 files in the computer.
“A day after I returned, ED officials were sent to my office. They left 16 files in a computer. If the CBI visits the same place after seven days and discovers those files, another smear campaign will start. I reiterate that if there is an iota of evidence against me, no ED or CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) will be required. I will voluntarily walk to the gallows and hang myself. Does anyone else in this country has the courage to say this?” he said.
Reacting on the issue, Mamata Banerjee said, “The ED planted those files in the computer. How can they enter an office without informing anyone? Yesterday, someone sent me a message saying they may arrest Abhishek. If you think you are experts on computers, so are we.”
