ED grills Saayoni Ghosh for over seven hours

Kolkata: Trinamool Chatra Parishad (TMCP) state president Saayoni Ghosh appeared at the office of the Enforcement Directorate on Friday for interrogation in connection with the alleged recruitment corruption case relating to the state’s education sector.

The Central agency had issued a summon notice to her on Wednesday after they supposedly came across her name while interrogating those connected with the case. According to sources, Saayoni’s name cropped up while interrogating Kuntal Ghosh.

Also, her name was reportedly found in a few documents. ED officials want to know if any financial transaction was made between Saayoni and Kuntal and if made then for what reason. She was asked to bring her Income Tax return submission documents for the past 10 years along with details of her assets. She was asked to produce her bank account details and investments.

On reaching the ED office, she told the media that she would fully cooperate with the agency. She arrived at the CGO complex by 12 pm and was not seen leaving the office thereafter. At the time this report was filed, her interrogation was continuing inside the ED office for over seven hours, sources said.

TMC leadership has, however, called the timing of her summon “uncanny”.

TMC leader Shashi Panja told the media that the BJP at the Centre is trying to harass the TMC by sending such central probe agencies just before election when our party leaders are preoccupied with campaigning. She said that after the TMC’s Nabajowar campaign witnessed overwhelming footfall, the central agencies had summoned Abhishek Banerjee.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh too questioned the timing of her summon. He said that no matter how much the BJP uses central agencies to intimidate TMC leaders, the party has the support of the people and that will once again become evident once the results of the Panchayat elections come out.