ED quizzes Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s spouse Rujira in coal pilferage rip-off

By PTI

KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday interrogated Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s spouse Rujira Narula Banerjee at its Kolkata workplace for over six hours in reference to its probe into the coal pilferage rip-off, an officer mentioned.

The officer mentioned that Rujira went to the ED workplace on the CGO advanced at round 11 am carrying her two-and-a-half-year-old son in her arms. Four officers, together with two ladies, questioned her.

“We have questioned her about a few transactions made in a bank account in Bangkok. Her answers are being tallied with those given by people who were interrogated earlier in the same case. Rujira may be called again in a few days for another round of questioning,” he mentioned when contacted.

During your entire grilling session, Banerjee’s son remained on her lap, the officer mentioned. “The child was crying every time her mother was putting him down from her lap,” he added. The Supreme Court has allowed ED to quiz Banerjee and his spouse within the coal smuggling case in Kolkata by giving them an advance 24 hour discover.

The ED had expressed apprehensions on the apex court docket citing previous situations of violence towards CBI officers, who have been gheraoed within the metropolis after three heavyweight TMC leaders have been summoned by them in reference to one other rip-off at its workplace.

It had mailed to the state police in search of safety. Following it an enormous police association was made on the ED workplace right here, a senior official of the pressure mentioned. The investigation is linked to an FIR filed by CBI in 2020 in a multi-crore rupees pilferage rip-off.

The CBI has up to now questioned Rujira twice in reference to the rip-off. The central company had final yr additionally interrogated Rujira’s sister Menoka Gambhir, her husband and father-in-law in reference to the probe.

It is alleged that unlawful mining of coal was carried out at leasehold mines of Eastern Coalfields’ in Kunustoria and Kajora areas close to Asansol in West Bengal. Investigations have hinted in direction of monetary transactions of Rs 1,300 crore, the majority of which went to a number of influential individuals as per CBI.

The probe revealed that the cash was deposited in overseas financial institution accounts of those influential individuals by way of hawala.