‘Won’t be Delhi bosses' pet dog': TMC's Abhishek Banerjee after CBI quizzing in Bengal jobs scam
Abhishek Banerjee alleged that he was being harassed by the BJP against the backdrop of his recently launched Jono Sanjog Yatra.
After being grilled by the CBI for over nine hours on Saturday in the West Bengal school recruitment scam, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee called it a ‘waste of time’. Banerjee, who happens to bethe nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, added that he was being targeted as he refused to be a ‘pet dog of the bosses in Delhi’, referring to the ruling BJP government at the Centre.
Being questioned for the first time in connection with the multi-crore scam, Banerjee asserted that he was cooperative with the officers’ questions.
“I was questioned for 9 hours 40 minutes by the CBI. This was a total waste of their time and my time. I will not be a pet dog of Delhi. Arrest me if you have proof against me. We will not bow down to you,” said the TMC leader while adding they will continue the fight.
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Banerjee claimed that he was being hounded by the BJP in an attempt to thwart his recently launched Jono Sanjog Yatra, which will resume on Monday.
He also alleged that BJP workers, accused of several crimes, did not have to face harassment like TMC leaders, who were adamant on not falling at the feet of the Centre.
The CBI had sent a notice to Banerjee on Friday afternoon to appear at the agency’sNizam Palaceoffice at 11 am. The agency summons came after the Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed the quizzing of the TMC leader in the recruitment scam in West Bengal schools.
Banerjee's name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh,an arrested TMC youth wing leader, where he alleged that central investigating agencies were pressuring him to name the TMC MP in the case.
Central agencies previously questioned Abhishek, his wife and his sister-in-law in relation to a coal smuggling scam case.
(With inputs from PTI)