2 outgoing West Bengal ministers do not turn up for ED summons

Two outgoing West Bengal ministers under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) scanner in a recruitment scam case skipped their scheduled appearance before the central agency on Wednesday, citing separate reasons and seeking more time, officials said.

An ED official said the two Trinamool Congress leaders - Sujit Bose and Rathin Ghosh - expressed their inability to depose before sleuths at the CGO Complex in Salt Lake near the city. Ghosh, in a letter to the agency, said he had sustained a leg injury after slipping in a washroom and had been advised around 10 days of rest by doctors, making it difficult for him to move, the official said. Bose, in his communication to the ED, said he was busy attending to party workers affected by post-poll violence and sought more time to depose before the investigating agency.

While Bose had unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls seeking re-election, Ghosh had won.

Both had earlier sought time from the ED, citing engagement in election-related activities.

Following the conclusion of the electoral process, they were asked to appear at the agency’s office two days after the declaration of results.

As per court directions, Bose appeared before the ED on May 1 and was questioned for nearly nine hours.

After the interrogation, he said he had appeared as a witness and maintained that he had conducted his business in a fair and transparent manner and had not committed any wrongdoing.