City
Epaper

Proactive attitude of central agencies sparks controversy in Bengal

By IANS | Updated: September 14, 2021 14:50 IST

Kolkata, Sep 14 The proctive attitude of the central agencies like the ED and CBI summoning several Trinamool ...

Open in App

Kolkata, Sep 14 The proctive attitude of the central agencies like the ED and CBI summoning several Trinamool Congress leaders just before the crucial Bhabanipur bye-election, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a candidate, sparked a political controversy here. While Trinamool Congress termed it as a political vendetta, rival BJP leaders asked the ruling party to move the court against it.

In the last few days, several Trinamool congress leaders have been summoned by the central agencies either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in different cases. On September 6, the ED interrogated All Indian Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee for nine hours in the coal smuggling case. He has been summoned again on the 21st of this month. His wife Rujira Banerjee was also summoned, but she has refused to go to Delhi to appear before the ED. Instead, she has requested an interrogation at home.

State Law Minister Moloy Ghatak was asked to come to Delhi and appear before the ED in the same coal smuggling case, but he refused to go and asked the probe agency to come to Kolkata to record his statement. He has told them that they can record his version through video conference.

Another cabinet minister, Partha Chatterjee, was also summoned by the CBI in connection with the I-Core chit fund case.

Chatterjee, who is also the commerce and industry minister of the state, said that he would not be able to appear before the CBI and instead asked the central agency to come and record his statement in the state. Officers of the probe agency, however, came on Monday and interrogated him for two hours.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit for summoning Abhishek Banerjee for consecutive two days. "They have interrogated him for nine hours and then again the next day they are calling him. We cannot be threatened. We are not Congress or Akhilesh Yadav or Sharad Pawar. We will fight it out politically," she said in a party's workers' meeting.

The series of summons and consequent interrogation has sparked political controversy in the state. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said, "This is nothing but political vendetta. They can't defeat us politically and so they are no using the central agencies to scare us but they cannot cow us down".

The BJP was quick to respond. "We don't do this kind of politics. They might be doing this and so they are worried. If they think it is a political vendetta, they are free to move the court. No has stopped them from going there,a senior BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya said.

Former CPI(M) MLA and veteran leader Tanmoy Bhattacharya said, "They are scared of these agencies because they know that they have done the wrong thing. From where did a Trinamool Leader gather 1,251 crore. He will have to answer the question. He should have been behind the bars but unfortunately he is now ruling the state".

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Tags: cbiMamata BanerjeeTrinamool CongressAbhishek BanerjeeMamata banerjee-led trinamool congressMamata banerjee-led west bengalMamata mamata banerjee
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalMamata Banerjee Responds To SSC Recruitment Case Verdict, Assures Job Security Till December 2025

NationalMamata Banerjee Calls for Peace Amid Murshidabad Violence, Appeals to Citizens to Avoid Vigilantism

NationalWest Bengal Violence: Fresh Unrest Erupts in South 24 Parganas Over Waqf Amendment Act; Police Vehicles Set on Fire (Watch Video)

EntertainmentWith Stree 3 Coming Up, Abhishek Banerjee Says Excited to Now Have of 4 Major Franchises to His Credit

InternationalMehul Choksi Arrested in Belgium on India’s Extradition Request

Politics Realted Stories

Maharashtra'Unity Not Just for Elections': MNS Leader Sandeep Deshpande on Possible Thackeray Alliance

PoliticsMurshidabad Violence: Shehzad Poonawalla Slams Yusuf Pathan Over Tea Post, Says, “As Hindus Get Slaughtered…”

PoliticsTamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: BJP-AIADMK Join Hands, Palaniswami To Lead Alliance, Says Amit Shah

Politics‘No Injustice to Muslims’: Shiv Sena Leader Manisha Kayande Slams Opponents of Waqf Amendment Bill

NationalParliament Passes Waqf Amendment Bill: Two JDU Leaders Resign Over Party's Support