TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, wife Rujira summoned by ED in coal scam case

TMC MP, nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, and his wife Rujira have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, linked to an alleged coal scam in the state, officials said on Saturday.

Two senior IPS officers of West Bengal police – Shyam Singh and Gyanwant Singh – have also been summoned by the ED in the same case on September 8 and 9, respectively.

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

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

The case, filed 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.

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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.

BJP MP Suvendu Adhikari, who contested against chief minister Mamata Banerjee at East Midnapore district’s Nandigram assembly seat had released an audio clip at a press conference, based on which he claimed that Banerjee received Rs 900 crore from rackets that smuggled cow, coal and sand.