Political witch-hunt shameful, says TMC as CBI quizzes Abhishek's wife in coal scam

Kolkata: The TMC on Tuesday accused the Centre of engaging in a “political witch-hunt” as a team of CBI officials questioned West Bengal ruling party MP Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira in connection with their probe into a coal pilferage scam.

An eight-member CBI team, which had a woman officer, reached Banerjee’s residence in the Bhawanipore area here this morning to question his wife in connection with their investigation into the scam.

”Political witch-hunt by the Centre is shameful! Minutes after our National General Secretary @abhishekaitc lands in Agartala, ‘remote controlled’ CBI springs into action. Your fear is evident @BJP4India, but we won’t back down!” the TMC said on Twitter.

Banerjee is currently in Tripura to campaign for the party in the upcoming bypolls there.

The CBI had interrogated Rujira in February last year ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections. ”This is nothing but political vendetta by the BJP. On a day when Abhishek is scheduled to address a programme in Tripura, the CBI is knocking at his door to interrogate his wife. This is not a coincidence,” TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.

The state BJP, however, denied the allegations, saying these are “baseless” and the Central Bureau of Investigation is an independent agency.

”The BJP has nothing to do with the CBI investigation. The allegations are baseless,” the party’s state unit spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.