SC relief for Abhishek till Sept 5
Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Friday barred the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from taking any coercive action against Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee till September 5, at a time when he was being questioned by the central agency at CGO Complex in Salt Lake.
Earlier, Abhishek had moved Delhi High Court after he and his wife were summoned by the ED in connection with the coal scam case. He had appealed for necessary direction on the ED to question him and his wife in Kolkata, which was rejected. Challenging the Delhi High Court order, he moved Supreme Court, following which the top court had asked ED to question him in Kolkata.
He was summoned by the ED in Salt Lake a few days ago. However, the TMC general secretary claimed that he received the summon through courier on Thursday. On Friday, Abhishek's lawyer claimed before the Supreme Court that his client is being harassed by the central agency. The agency has even obstructed him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
After hearing, the court extended the stay on any coercive action against him and the matter will be heard on Monday.
On Friday, Abhishek reached the CGO Complex before time which was mentioned in the summon. He was questioned for almost six hours. After coming out from the ED office, the MP criticised BJP for allegedly pressurising the central agencies to act against opposition parties. Abhishek on Friday alleged that Union Home minister Amit Shah is also involved in the coal and cattle scam as central and paramilitary forces like the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Border Security Force (BSF) are responsible for guarding the coal mines and the country's borders. He raised questions about how coal and cattle can be smuggled without the involvement of these two agencies, alleging that Shah was the "receiver" of "kickbacks" from both the scams.
He said: "The security and safety of the coal mines is the responsibility of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is under the jurisdiction of the Union Home ministry. Border Security Force (BSF) looks after the security on the borders, which is again under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry.
"So, if police officers from West Bengal are being summoned by the central agencies, why the director generals of these two central armed forces are not questioned? I am saying now that the proceeds of all these scams have directly reached the Home Ministry."
The Trinamool leader also attacked BCCI secretary and Amit Shah's son, Jay Shah, for the alleged refusal to hold the Tricolour during the India-Pakistan match on August 28.
"The son thinks that he will continue to remain the BCCI secretary even after refusing to hold the national flag and his father thinks that he will make the country opposition-less by using the central agencies," Abhishek said.
He then alleged that six to eight months back, Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had a telephonic conversation with Vinay Mishra, the prime accused in the coal smuggling case, who is currently hiding somewhere outside India.
"During the course of that conversation, Adhikari assured him protection. The audio recording of that conversation is available and will be presented in the court at the right time. If Adhikari has the guts, he can file a defamation suit against me for making this charge," he said.
He also raised questions about why no action was taken against Adhikari despite Saradha chief Sudipta Sen mentioning in a letter that before he left Kolkata, the opposition leader had taken crores of rupees from him.
The Trinamool leader further said that he will not bow down in front of anybody. He alleged that the BJP was using the central agencies like the ED and the CBI to come to power as they have done in several other states. "Why can't we see ED and CBI raids in BJP-ruled state? They cannot think politically. I am asking them to fight politically," he added.
The Trinamool Congress MP also alleged that the Centre is using the central agencies deliberately to topple the elected government. However, Banerjee said that he is not blaming the officers and employees of these agencies. "I am ready to cooperate. At present, we are fighting against the BJP, central agencies and a section of the media," he said.
