Kolkata: The TMC on Tuesday accused the Centre of engaging in a political witch-hunt as a team of CBI officials questioned West Bengal ruling party MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira in connection with their probe into a coal pilferage scam.
An eight-member CBI team, which had a woman officer, reached Abhishek's residence in the Bhowanipore area here on Tuesday morning to question his wife in connection with their investigation into the scam.
"Political witch-hunt by the Centre is shameful! Minutes after our National General Secretary @abhishekaitc lands in Agartala, remote controlled' CBI springs into action. Your fear is evident @BJP4India, but we won't back down!" the TMC said on Twitter.
Abhishek is currently in Tripura to campaign for the party in the upcoming bypolls there.
The CBI had interrogated Rujira in February last year ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Abhishek said on Tuesday: "We are made of different metal, no use threatening us. I was scheduled to come here today and the CBI sent letter to my wife yesterday (Monday) so that they can question her at my home today so that they can stop me from visiting Tripura. Fine, do that. You cannot do anything. We will never bow down, even if you behead me!"
In response, Abhishek tweeted: "CBI chose this day for interrogation because they didn't want me to come here! But no force can stop us! We don't want DUARE GUNDA, we want DUARE SARKAR! Tripura will not be controlled from Delhi but by Tripura's people!"
TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said: "This is nothing but political vendetta by the BJP. On a day when Abhishek is scheduled to address a programme in Tripura, the CBI is knocking at his door to interrogate his wife. This is not a coincidence."
The state BJP, however, denied the allegations, saying these are baseless and the Central Bureau of Investigation is an independent agency.