The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Abhishek Banerjee, a Member of Parliament representing the Trinamool Congress (TMC), for questioning in connection with the teachers' recruitment scam case. This summons requires him to appear for questioning on October 3, a date that happens to coincide with an important event involving the TMC.
Specifically, on that day, Abhishek Banerjee was scheduled to lead a significant protest organized by the TMC in Delhi. This protest was aimed at demanding West Bengal's rightful dues from the Centre under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Expressing his discontent with the timing of the summons, Abhishek Banerjee took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns, stating, "Earlier this month, the ED summoned me on a day coinciding with an important coordinating meeting of #INDIA in Delhi. I dutifully appeared and complied with the served summons. Now, today yet again they have served me another summons to appear before them on a day when the protest agitation for West Bengal's rightful dues is scheduled in Delhi on 3rd Oct (sic)."
In an apparent reference to the situation, Banerjee added, "This stark revelation unequivocally exposes those who are truly perturbed, rattled, and scared!"
It's worth noting that Abhishek Banerjee had previously been subjected to questioning by the ED on September 13, enduring nearly nine hours of interrogation. He had asserted that this interrogation was an attempt to deter him from participating in a significant meeting of the opposition alliance INDIA.
The probe agency has also extended its investigation to Abhishek Banerjee's parents, who have been summoned to appear before the ED's investigating officer at the CGO complex in Kolkata in the upcoming week. Abhishek Banerjee's parents, Amit and Lata Banerjee hold positions as directors of Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd, a company under scrutiny by the ED. Established in 2012, this company operates in the Food and Beverages sector in Kolkata. Abhishek Banerjee himself served as a director of the company from April 2012 to January 2014 and still retains his listing as the CEO.
The ED has previously stated that it has identified several suspicious financial transactions associated with this company. Additionally, the ED has taken into custody the former COO of Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd, Sujay Krishna Bhadra, who is believed to have close ties to the Banerjee family. Bhadra's arrest has intensified the investigation into the operations of the company.
