Rijura Banerjee, wife of Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, has expressed her inability to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi for questioning in a coal pilferage case. She said she could meet its officials at her Kolkata residence. The ED had issued her summons to appear before the agency in Delhi on September 1.
“I am a mother of two infants and travelling to New Delhi physically alone in the midst of the pandemic will put my [life] and the lives of my children at grave risk,” she said in a letter to the Central agency dated August 31.
“It would be convenient to me if you consider asking me to appear in Kolkata at my residence since your organization has its office in Kolkata and I reside in Kolkata too. Besides, as per my understanding, the alleged cause of action of the subject matter of your inquiry too arises out of West Bengal,” the letter pointed out.
Earlier, the CBI had questioned her at her Kolkata residence. ED has issued summons to Abhishek Banerjee and three serving IPS officers also.
Narada sting tapes
In another development, a special court in Kolkata ordered that summons be issued to West Bengal Ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with Narada sting case. The orders were issued, taking cognisance of a chargesheet by the ED. Summons are to be issued also to Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra, former Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and suspended IPS officer S.M.H. Mirza.
