ED summons Abhishek Banerjee, wife in coal scam case

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned MP Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and his wife for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in the state, officials said on Saturday.

Abhishek Banerjee represents the Diamond Harbour seat in Lok Sabha and is also the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

He has been summoned to appear before the investigating officer of the case here on September 6 while his wife Rujira has been sent a similar summon under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for September 1.

Few others linked to the case have also been summoned to appear on different dates next month, the officials said.

The case, under criminal sections of the (PMLA), was filed by the ED after studying a November 2020 FIR of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that alleged a multi-crore coal pilferage scam related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in the state’s Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol.

Local state operative Anup Majhi alias Lala is alleged to be the prime suspect in the case.

The ED had earlier claimed that Abhishek Banerjee was a beneficiary of funds obtained from this illegal trade.

He has been denying all charges.