Trinamool Congress MP and nephew of WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee. Credit: PTI Photo

CBI notice to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's wife in coal pilferage case

The central probe agency had on Friday carried out a fresh round of searches in connection with the case

by · Deccan Herald

The CBI on Sunday served notice to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife in connection with a coal pilferage case.

Abhishek is the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The notice was served to Rujira Banerjee “alias Naroola” under Section 160 of the CrPC. CBI sources said the questioning was likely to take place at her residence.

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Reacting to the development, Abhishek said the CBI is mistaken if it thinks it can “intimidate” them with such notices. He said they won't be "cowed down".

Describing the incident as an “instance of political vendetta” by the BJP, senior TMC MP Sougata Roy said the Centre’s intimidation tactics were futile. “The BJP has two weapons: CBI and ED. We know the BJP will try to intimidate us with central agencies. But rest assured we will not back down. Abhishek will fight the legal battle and so will the TMC,” said Roy.

The CBI had registered an FIR in November against Manjhi alias Lala, the alleged kingpin in the case, and against Eastern Coalfield Ltd (ECL) general managers.

State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said the investigation has been going on for a long time. "Since the notice has been served now, baseless allegations of political vendetta are being raised," he said.

The CBI had registered an FIR in November last year against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket Manjhi alias Lala, Eastern Coalfield Ltd General Managers Amit Kumar Dhar (of then Kunustoria area now Pandaveswar area) and Jayesh Chandra Rai (Kajor area) besides ECL Chief of Security Tanmay Das, Area Security Inspector, Kunustoria Dhananjay Rai and SSI and security in-charge Kajor area Debashish Mukherjee.

It is alleged that accused Manjhi Lala is involved in the illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL in Kunustoria and Kajora areas, they said.

The assembly elections are due in April-May in West Bengal, where the BJP has launched a vigorous campaign to oust the ruling TMC that had secured consecutive wins in 2011 and 2016 under its leader Mamata Banerjee.

 

(With inputs from PTI)