E-Paper
‘A fraction of judiciary...’: Abhishek Banerjee lashes out at judges who ordered CBI probe
Banerjee did not clarify why he alleged that a fraction of the judiciary was working under instructions but it was apparent that he was indirectly pointing at the fact that as many as 272 cases are being probed by the CBI under the orders of the Calcutta high court.
Kolkata: A small fraction of the judiciary has become something akin to minions and is ordering Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probes in every case, Trinamool Congress (TMC) state general secretary and chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee said on Saturday at a party workers’ meeting in East Midnapore district.
“I feel ashamed to say that a very small fraction of the judiciary has become minion. One or two persons are working with an understanding. Not all, only one percent. They are ordering CBI investigations in every case. They are even ordering stay on ongoing murder probes. Have you ever heard of this? You cannot order a stay on a murder investigation,” Banerjee said at the port town of Haldia, triggering strong reaction from opposition parties.
Banerjee did not clarify why he alleged that a fraction of the judiciary was working under instructions but it was apparent that he was indirectly pointing at the fact that as many as 272 cases are being probed by the CBI under the orders of the Calcutta high court. The bulk of these cases involve political violence that took place after the TMC won the 2021 assembly polls.
“If you (the judiciary) want to take action against me for what I have said, go ahead. I do not hesitate to speak the truth. I will speak the truth a thousand times, ten thousand times before television cameras,” Banerjee said at the well-attended meeting.
He even referred to the summons sent to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) without mentioning the coal smuggling case in which he and his wife, Rujira, are suspects. She was questioned by the CBI last year.
“The CBI and ED are constantly targeting me but I have not lowered my head before them. I am not afraid of any agency or investigation. The ED tried to harass me by calling me to Delhi twice. I have never run away from any agency. I told them if they want to interrogate me, they should come to Bengal. I am a son of this soil. I am ready to answer all questions,” said Banerjee.
The Supreme Court recently offered relief to the TMC leader and his wife from appearing before the ED in Delhi and ordered the agency to question the couple in Kolkata.
The opposition parties reacted sharply.
Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said: “The TMC has targeted the judiciary in the same manner in which it has targeted all institutions and our democratic structure.”
“Saying that he was referring to one percent of the judiciary or one or two judges makes no difference. It was a five-judge bench of the Calcutta high court which said in its order (in the post-poll violence case) that Bengal is being run by a law of its own,” Bhattacharya added.
Eminent lawyer and CPI (M) Rajya Sabha member Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said Banerjee’s statement is tantamount to contempt of court.
“This is clearly contempt of court. Disrespect has been shown to the judiciary. Only TMC leaders are capable of such things,” he said.
Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Mamata Banerjee is making her party leaders target the judiciary because she cannot do it.
“TMC leaders cannot accept verdicts that go against the party. Abhishek is a child. Why is Mamata Banerjee not making these statements?” Chowdhury said.
At the Haldia meeting, Abhishek Banerjee also targeted BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC minister, accusing him of switching camps to save himself from a CBI investigation.
Adhikari, who is a suspect in the Sarada chit fund case, refused to react to Banerjee’s comment.
“Who is Abhishek Banerjee? Let him first answer how much money from the coal scam was deposited into a bank account in Thailand,” said Adhikari, referring to the fact that Rujira Banerjee’s parents live in Thailand.
