The Supreme Court on Tuesday, 17 May, permitted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to question Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee in Kolkata in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal.
In response to a plea filed by Banerjee, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court's order which dismissed Banerjee and his wife's challenge to the ED's summons in the case. A bailable warrant issued against the two was also stayed by the Supreme Court.
The top court allowed ED to summon Banerjee at its Kolkata office instead of in Delhi, and stated that it will not tolerate any hooliganism or obstruction when ED questions Banerjee in Kolkata.
A bench headed by Justice UU Lalit said the state government will provide assistance to the ED officials, who will have to give a 24-hour prior notice to question Banerjee and his wife. "If there is any kind of hooliganism or infraction, we will not tolerate it," the bench was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
Court Directs WB Govt To Cooperate With ED
The court also directed the West Bengal government to cooperate with the central probe agency and provide protection to its officials while they are in the state to interrogate Abhishek, who is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, had told the apex court that Banerjee is a potential accused in the coal scam and the ED needs to interrogate him in Delhi.
On the other hand, the plea filed by the politician and his wife had noted, "The party to which the petitioner No 1 (Abhishek) belonged, comprehensively trounced the political party at power in the Centre, thereby giving justifiable cause to 'target' and 'fix' the petitioner No 1, by misusing the Central Investigation Agencies."
The court also issued notice to the ED on a plea filed by Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee challenging the high court's order, and has sought a response within three weeks, posting the matter for a hearing on 19 July.
The ED's case against the Banerjees related to an alleged multi-crore coal pilferage scam connected to Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines.
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