SC may ask ED to go to Kolkata to quiz Abhishek
Next hearing in money laundering case May 19
The Supreme Court on Thursday indicated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may have to go to Kolkata to question chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamul Congress member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira in an alleged case of money laundering relating to a coal scam in West Bengal.
As additional solicitorgeneral (ASG) S.V. Raju, appearing for the ED, told the bench of Justices Uday Umesh Lalit, S. Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia that they are pressing for investigating the Banerjee couple in Delhi as the agency anticipates trouble which CBI officials had faced in May last year in the case relating to two TMC leader.
At this, Justice Lalit said that ED can requisition the police security 72 hours before going to Kolkata. He said that they will bind the West Bengal government to ensure the full protection of the ED officials.
“Supposing in case we say whatever documents, whatever records you need, every page shall be made available and you can go to Kolkata,” the court told ASG Raju.
Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for Banerjees, told the court that they were not hiding from the probe but insisting that they be questioned in Kolkata where ED has a full-fledged regional office.
“I am not preventing investigation. I am saying please come and investigate me. The issue is not of investigation, the issue is where. I am saying please come and investigate me. I will answer all your questions, you come to Kolkata. They say no, we will not come, you come to Delhi. That’s the question,” Mr Sibal told the court.
However, the court did not pass any order as the hearing in the matter was inconclusive and posted for next Tuesday (May 17).
The court was hearing an appeal by Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira against a Delhi high court order dismissing their petition challenging the summons issued to them in the money laundering case.