CBI reaches dwelling of Mamata’s nephew to quiz spouse in coal case

MARKING A brand new flashpoint within the tussle between the BJP-led Centre and the TMC’s state authorities, with Assembly elections across the nook in West Bengal, the CBI Sunday reached the Kolkata residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee to query his spouse over alleged “bank transactions” in reference to a coal pilferage case.
The transfer marks the primary time {that a} central company has sought to query a detailed member of the family of the Chief Minister. However, with Abhishek’s spouse Rujira unavailable, the three-member CBI workforce left inside quarter-hour after serving a discover to query her below Section 160 of CrPC that requires the attendance of witnesses in an investigation, The Indian Express has learnt.
The CBI additionally reached the home of Rujira’s sister Menaka Gambhir within the metropolis Sunday night to query her in reference to the case. With Gambhir too unavailable, the CBI workforce served a discover asking her to be accessible for questioning, and is more likely to go to her home round 11 am Monday.

Mamata Banerjee didn’t refer particularly to the CBI motion however mentioned throughout a operate in Kolkata to mark International Mother Language Day that she “will not be afraid of any intimidation”.
“Some leaders from Delhi are saying that they know how to break the spine of some Bengalis. I dare them to do it. They made attempts to do it earlier and even today. But don’t try to intimidate us with jail. We have fought against guns and are not afraid of fighting against rats. As long as there is life in me, I will not be afraid of any intimidation. It is not easy to break our spine and gouge our eyes,” she mentioned.

At 2pm right this moment, the CBI served a discover within the title of my spouse. We have full religion within the legislation of the land. However, in the event that they suppose they’ll use these ploys to intimidate us, they’re mistaken. We are usually not those who would ever be cowed down. pic.twitter.com/U0YB6SC5b8
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) February 21, 2021
A CBI officer advised The Indian Express that the company is searching for to query Abhishek’s spouse and sister-in-law “over some of their bank transactions”. State officers mentioned safety has been tightened outdoors Abhishek’s residence with extra policemen deployed.
The CBI motion adopted a discover served earlier Sunday to “Rujira Banerjee alias Naroola” asking her to be current at her residence at 3 pm for “answering certain questions relating to the particulars of the case”.
Responding to this discover, Abhishek Banerjee posted on Twitter that he had “full faith in the law”. “At 2 pm today, the CBI served a notice in the name of my wife. We have full faith in the law of the land. However, if they think they can use these ploys to intimidate us, they are mistaken. We are not the ones who would ever be cowed down,” he tweeted.
The case was filed by the CBI on November 27, 2020, below IPC sections 120B (prison conspiracy), 409 (prison breach of belief by public servant) and prices below Prevention of Corruption Act to probe the alleged unlawful mining and theft of coal from the Kunustoria and Kajoria fields of Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL).
The CBI has carried out a number of raids in reference to the probe, and visited the coal mines too. The FIR lists a number of senior ECL officers, unknown officers of the CISF, Railways and different authorities departments, and different unknown individuals other than the alleged kingpin Anup Majhi.
Security deployed outdoors Abhishek Banerjee’s home.
The BJP has alleged that a number of TMC leaders, together with Abhishek, have been instrumental within the siphoning of cash earned from gross sales of smuggled coal into the ruling occasion’s funds. “I have even shown some documents in a few of my rallies showing how money was being deposited in Naroola’s account. The CBI is probing,” mentioned Suvendu Adhikari, the previous TMC chief who has now joined the BJP.
Referring to the alleged kingpin named within the FIR, Union MoS Babul Supriyo mentioned: “CBI should probe the accounts where Anup Majhi’s money has been transferred to. Once the ear has been pulled, the head will follow.”
TMC leaders, in the meantime, hit out on the Centre and claimed that the CBI’s transfer was an try and “defame” Abhishek earlier than the case comes up earlier than a particular court docket Monday.
“It is a conspiracy. Without any evidence, (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah has defamed Abhishek Banerjee. The matter is in court, which has summoned the Home Minister or his representative to appear before the special judge tomorrow. A day before that, such an action by the CBI is politically motivated,” mentioned TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
Senior TMC chief and MP Saugata Roy mentioned the motion was “predictable”. “It was so predictable. All the allies have left them (BJP). The only loyal allies are CBI and ED. We will fight it out. We are not scared. We believe the people will give a befitting reply during voting,” Roy mentioned.
The transfer was additionally questioned by the CPI(M) and Congress, which have tied up for the polls, though each welcomed the investigation.
“The people want a free and fair investigation. But this could have been done two years ago. Why now, before the polls? Since Delhi wants, they are serving the notice,” CPI(M) chief Sujan Chakraborty mentioned.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of Congress mentioned: “We wanted such an investigation by the CBI, and the truth should come out. Whoever is being summoned should cooperate with the CBI.”