Abhishek Banerjee, his wife summoned by ED in money laundering case

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New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal, officials informed on Saturday (August 28, 2021).

The nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has been summoned to appear before the investigating officer of the case on September 6. His wife Rujira has been sent a similar summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for September 1.

Sanjay Basu (counsel of Rujira and Abhishek), Shyam Singh (Bengal cadre IPS officer, now DIG Midnapore Range) and Gyanwant Singh (Bengal cadre IPS officer, now ADG CID), have also been asked to join the investigation in a coal case.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee has said that he is not scared of ED or CBI and is 'more determined' to fight this battle. 

This is to be noted that the case was filed by the ED after studying a November 2020 FIR of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that alleged a multi-crore coal pilferage scam related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in the state's Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol. Local state operative Anup Majhi alias Lala is alleged to be the prime suspect in the case.

The ED had earlier claimed that Abhishek Banerjee was a beneficiary of funds obtained from this illegal trade. However, he has been denying all charges. 

(With agency inputs)