E-Paper
TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, wife to appear before ED today
The couple earlier moved court saying they are West Bengal residents and should not be called to Delhi for questioning
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee and his wife, Rujira, will appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to a coal scam in West Bengal.
The Delhi high court on March 11 dismissed a plea of Banerjee, who is also chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, and Rujira against the ED’s summons. The couple moved the court saying they are West Bengal residents and should not be called to Delhi for questioning.
Abhishek Banerjee accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing the central agencies. “We defeated them [in Bengal polls] and they cannot digest this. I am ready to bow down before the power of people but not those in power.”
State BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya said the BJP is not conducting the probe. “The agencies are doing their job following court orders. The CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] and ED decide who will be questioned and when.”
The CBI filed a First Information Report in the case in November 2020 over illegally mined coal worth several thousand crores. The coal was allegedly sold in the black market in Bengal, where the Eastern Coalfields Limited runs mines. The proceeds from the coal trade allegedly went to political leaders.
The ED earlier questioned Abhishek Banerjee in September for almost nine hours in Delhi. He was later summoned for the second time that month but he informed the agency he was unable to travel from Kolkata at short notice.
