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Bengal law minister questioned by ED for 9 hours in coal smuggling case
The ED had initiated a parallel investigation after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched a probe in the coal smuggling case last year.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday questioned West Bengal law minister Moloy Ghatak for around nine hours in connection with an alleged coal smuggling case.
On September 6, the federal agency had questioned West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the same case for around nine hours.
Ghatak, however, refused to speak to the media after coming out of the ED’s office at Jamnagar House in Delhi late on Thursday night. Ghatak had skipped multiple summons by the agency in the last two months.
It has been alleged that illegally mined coal worth crores have been sold in the black market over several years by a racket operating in the western parts of Bengal where the Eastern Coalfields Limited runs several mines.
The ED had initiated a parallel investigation after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched a probe in the coal smuggling case last year.
Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira also came under the scanner of the central agency. Both, however, had moved the Delhi high court challenging summons issued to them.
Previously, the ED asked Abhishek Banerjee to appear before it on September 6, while Rujira on September 1. Rujira had expressed her inability to appear before the ED on September 1 by citing the ongoing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic and requested the agency officials to visit her residence in Kolkata.
The Delhi high court had exempted the Trinamool Congress MP’s wife from personal appearance before a trial court, scheduled on October 30.
