Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has said he will challenge the Calcutta High Court’s order permitting Central agencies to question him in connection with the multi-crore recruitment scam in West Bengal but assured that he will extend all cooperation if summoned by the agencies, even in the midst of the Trinamool-e Nabajowar campaign.
Upholding a previous order, the court on Thursday empowered the Central agencies to question Abhishek in connection with the matter after expelled youth TMC leader Kuntal Ghosh alleged that Central agencies were putting pressure on him to name Abhishek Banerjee in the case. The single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha also imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakh each on Banerjee and Ghosh. Firdaus Shamim, a counsel involved in the matter, told the media that the fine was imposed for wasting the time of the court.
Initially, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay had empowered the Central agencies for questioning Abhishek who approached the Supreme Court in the matter.
Following the order of the apex court, two related cases in the matter were transferred to the bench of Justice Sinha.
Responding to the decision of the court, Abhishek, who is presently engaged in the Nabajowar campaign, said that although he respects the decision of the court, he will challenge the order in the Supreme Court.
He told the media persons that if the Central agencies can find any evidence of corruption against him then he will hang himself on that very day.
Commenting on the considerable amount of fine imposed on him, he said there are people who keep running to the court every now and then, filing random PILs but they are not fined for wasting the court’s time. Abhishek said that if summoned by the Central agencies he will extend all cooperation even if it means taking a temporary leave from the ongoing Nabajowar campaign. He, however, assured that this matter will in no way affect the campaign since TMC believes in democracy and is not scared of any form of intimidation.
“I will not be intimidated by Central probe agencies and will not succumb to any pressure. I am ready to face them if am called,” he remarked.
Abhishek Banerjee’s name surfaced after Kuntal Ghosh wrote letters to a local police station as well as to the judge of a lower court accusing Central agencies of putting pressure on him to name the TMC national general secretary in the alleged scam. “Let the investigating agency decide who is involved and who is not. The legal system is above all. Everyone should cooperate in the process of investigation,” Justice Sinha had
observed earlier.