The CBI has summoned the co-brother of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his father for recording their statements on March 15 in connection with alleged illegal mining of coal in West Bengal, according to an agency official.
“Ankush Arora, husband of Mr. Banerjee’s sister-in-law Menka Gambhir, and his father Pawan Arora have been summoned to join the probe,” said the official.
Mr. Banerjee is the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In the same case, the agency had quizzed Mr. Banerjee’s wife Rujira Banerjee and Ms. Gambhir and recorded their witness statements.
Case registered in Nov. last
The CBI registered the case in November last, alleging illegal mining and theft of coal from the Kunustoria and Majora collieries of the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) by a criminal syndicate run by one Anup Majhi.
Earlier, the ECL had instituted an inquiry, during which evidence indicating large-scale illegal mining and theft of coal was found. The role of certain ECL officials responsible for security in the two collieries, besides unknown Central Industrial Security Force and railway personnel, also came to light.
The Enforcement Directorate has also launched a money laundering investigation and carried out searches against the accused persons. The agency suspects that a significant part of the undisclosed income was diverted and parked overseas.
