The Trinamool Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Centre for using the agencies like the Enforcement Directorate to harass the Opposition politicians like Abhishek Banerjee — a nephew of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — hours after the TMC MP and his wife Rujira Narula Banerjee were issued summons by the central investigation agency in coal smuggling case.
Abhishek Banerjee the national general secretary of the TMC has been issued summons to appear before the ED in a money laundering case related to coal smuggling.
“Abhishek Banerjee has been summoned by the ED to malign Mamata Banerjee … this is a part of the BJP’s vendetta politics … the BJP will have to repent for this,” Bengal Minister Bratya Basu said on Thursday.
Another senior leader and minister Partha Chatterjee said that such “there were hints of such political victimizations” in the speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after the recently concluded elections in five States.
“The BJP Government is acting to a plan … as the 2024 elections will approach frequency of such summons will increase …opposition leaders will be called and threatened … this is a part of the BJP’s arm-twisting politics,” the senior minister said.
The ED earlier summoned junior Banerjee and his wife in a money laundering case linked to the accused in a coal smuggling case. They have been asked to appear in the Agency’s Delhi office next week. The summons was issued in the wake of the Delhi High Court refusing to grant any relief to them in this case.
The couple had earlier been grilled by ED and CBI respectively. According to sources, the TMC leader did not cooperate with the ED during his earlier interrogation for about 8 hours in September 201. Banerjee was reportedly asked specifically about the unaccounted money which was received by two firms associated with his family. Two of his very close relatives are directors in these two firms that had alleged links with the coal money.
Meanwhile, on an unrelated issue the Bengal Chief Minister on Thursday attacked the Election Commission of India for acting according to the instructions of the central Government. Banerjee’s remarks came after her Government’s request to reschedule the April 12 by-elections in view of the pre-scheduled Class XII (higher Secondary) board exams.
Wondering whether the by-polls could be held during the just concluded elections to 5 State assemblies, Banerjee said “what was the problem of holding by-elections along with the polls in five states … truth to be told the Election Commission do not give much importance to the stray local polls,” as it worked according to the directions of the central government.
Banerjee on Thursday announced the new dates for Class XII exams. As per the new schedule the higher secondary exams would run from April 2 to April 26. There would be no test from 7th to 15th April as the by elections would take place on 12th of that month.