Mamata under pressure from Central agencies

Pressure is mounting on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) from the Central agencies. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started an investigation into the post-poll violence under a court order and its officers have started touring the districts in this regard. Mamata Banerjee, who lost the seat she contested from in the Assembly elections, will have to get elected by 5 November, but the Election Commission has not yet announced the date for the byelection, and this, sources said, is making the Trinamool leader nervous.

In a sign of mounting trouble, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now summoned the TMC’S “All India General Secretary”, Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Narula to Delhi for questioning in a case of alleged financial embezzlement in a coal scam. Rujira Narula has been called to appear on 1 September. Abhishek Banerjee has been summoned on 7 September for co-operation in the investigation. Apart from Abhishek Banerjee and Rujira Narula, three IPS officers have also been summoned. According to ED sources, the ED notice reached Abhishek Banerjee and his wife on Thursday. However, no response has been received from them so far.

According to sources, IPS

Selva Murugan, Gyanwant Singh and Shyam Singh have been summoned on 8, 9 and 10 September. The ED had called the IPS officers in late July and early August as well. But the three officers did not appear at the time, citing “personal reasons”. So the notice was sent to them again. A lawyer close to Abhishek Banerjee has also been summoned on 3 September.

According to ED sources, a third notice was sent to