Abhishek accuses ED of trying to plant evidence against him during raid

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, on Monday, alleged that the Enforcement Directorate was trying to plant evidence against him by downloading some college-related files in one of the computers of his company during a raid.

Recently, a complaint was lodged with the police by the company, Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd, against the Central probe agency after about 16 Excel files that did not belong to the company were found in one of the computers after the ED conducted raids on their premises.

The Central probe agency, however, wrote to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata clarifying that during the raid one of their officers opened the website of an engineering college on the computer seeking information for hostel admission for his daughter when the files may have been downloaded accidentally.

TMC feels it cannot be a mere coincidence that files related to colleges were downloaded during a raid that was made in connection with an alleged recruitment corruption in the state’s education sector.

Abhishek finally broke his silence on the issue on Monday while addressing the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad rally on its 26th Foundation Day.

He said: “A day after I returned, ED officials were sent for a raid. During the raid, they uploaded 16 files to a computer. Now, if the CBI visits the same place after another 7 days and discovers those files, the smear campaign will begin.”

His claim that evidence was being planted against him also found evidence in the words of the party supremo Mamata Banerjee who said that she allegedly received a message on her phone recently that said that Abhishek would be arrested before the Lok Sabha elections. She called the BJP-led Centre a vindictive government.

Abhishek also addressed the rumours that were doing rounds when he left for the USA for eye treatment.

He said: “While I was travelling for medical treatment, a rumour was spread claiming I would not return. My surname is not Modi, Choksi, or Mallya; it is Banerjee. We know how to keep fighting with our heads held high and without surrendering to Delhi.”

He further said: “I will reiterate that if there is an iota of evidence against me, no ED-CBI will be required. I will walk to the gallows and hang myself. Does anyone across the country have the audacity to say this?”