New Delhi/Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday served a notice to the spouse of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee at his Kolkata residence, asking her to join the probe in the coal pilferage case, a development that could further raise the political temperature in poll-bound West Bengal.
The notice was served under Section 160 of CRPC and Rujira Bandopadhyay will be questioned as a witness in the coal smuggling scam. CBI sources further said that Rujira Bandopadhyay will not have to be present at the CBI office to face the grilling. Instead, CBI officers want to question her at her residence and record her statements.
Rujira Bandopadhyay was not present at her residence when the CBI officers reached her home. So CBI served the notice to the others present and mentioned that Rujira Bandopahyay should contact the CBI office soon after she is back. A mobile number of a CBI officer was also mentioned in the notice.
CBI sources further said that agency sleuths tracked some money trail transactions connected to certain accounts being hold by Rujira Bandopadhyay. The central probe agency had on Friday carried out a fresh round of searches in connection with the case.
The CBI had registered an FIR last November last 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. 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.
Abhishek Banerjee, who is a Lok Sabha member, wields considerable influence in the party and has been leading the Trinamool Congress' counter-attack.
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At 2pm 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. pic.twitter.com/U0YB6SC5b8
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) February 21, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">At 2pm 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. pic.twitter.com/U0YB6SC5b8
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) February 21, 2021At 2pm 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. pic.twitter.com/U0YB6SC5b8
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) February 21, 2021
In a tweet, Abhishek Banerjee said that, "At 2pm 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.'
Mamata attacks the BJP
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked BJP and the Modi government without naming anyone at an event in honour of International Mother Language Day celebrations. She said, "Don't threaten that you will put us behind the bars. I am not afraid. It's not easy to break our backbones. "
Mamata Banerjee complained that it was being said that the condition of Bengal is the worst. Bengal (Bangal) is being identified as poor (Kangal). There is a conspiracy going on to break the backbone of Bengalis. After that, she warned, " I will also see how anyone can break the backbone of Bengalis?"
