CBI summons Mamata kin in coal scandal

Kolkata: Taking its coal smuggling probe straight into West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s household forward of the Meeting elections, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday served summons to her MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s spouse Rujira Banerjee Narula, in addition to her sister Menaka Gambhir, within the high-profile case, asking them to be able to face questioning at their residences inside an hour for his or her suspected position in abroad monetary transactions regarding the unlawful commerce.

Within the afternoon, a CBI anti-corruption crew, mounting warmth on the TMC supremo’s household, knocked on the doorways of “Santiniketan”, the palatial South Kolkata residence of Mr Banerjee which is guarded by a powerful Kolkata police contingent, and served the summons beneath Part 160 of the Felony Process Code to his spouse.

Within the summons at her 188A Harish Mukherjee Highway residence in Kalighat, CBI further superintendent of police (ACB) Umesh Kumar instructed Ms Narula:

“Whereas it seems that you’re acquainted with the circumstances of the case famous beneath. which I’m investigating beneath Chapter-XII of the Code of Felony Process 1973, the undersigned together with CBI crew will go to above handle on 21.02.2021 at 1500 hrs. You’re hereby requested to stay current on 21.02.2021 at 1500 hrs at above talked about handle for the aim of answering sure questions regarding the case.”

The same discover was additionally delivered to Ms Gambhir’s residence at Anandapur, off the EM Bypass within the metropolis, at round identical time. However the CBI crew was instructed Ms Narula and Ms Gambhir weren’t at residence then. The CBI crew left an officer’s quantity for the 2 sisters to name again. Until night, the CBI had not bought any response, sources mentioned.

Not too long ago inducted BJP chief Shubhendu Adhikari claimed at a rally that Anup Majhi alias Lala, the absconding kingpin of the coal smuggling case, used to deposit round Rs 36 lakhs month-to-month to the Kasikorn Checking account of “Madam Narula” in Bangkok, Thailand. Tweeting a duplicate of the CBI summons at 4.15 pm, Mr Abhishek Banerjee alleged: “At 2 pm immediately, the CBI served a discover within the title of my spouse. Now we have full religion within the legislation of the land. Nevertheless, in the event that they assume they will use these ploys to intimidate us, they’re mistaken. We’re not those who would ever be cowed down.”

The CBI’s calculated transfer, a day earlier than Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s day-long go to to West Bengal on Monday, when he’s prone to announce a slew of recent Central initiatives, got here two days after a courtroom summoned Union residence minister Amit Shah to seem in individual or via his consultant on Monday in a defamation case filed by Mr Banerjee towards him for levelling wild allegations about him.

Mocking Mr Banerjee for his repeated problem that he would go to the gallows if the allegations of corruption have been proved towards him, Mr Adhikari mentioned: “I request Tolabaj Bhaipo to not go to the gallows proper now. There are much more left to be seen.”

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