KOLKATA: Calcutta High court on Tuesday directed the ED to question Maneka Gambhir, sister-in-law of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, at its regional office in Kolkata and not take coercive steps against her till the next date of hearing.
Gambhir had challenged a summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before it in Delhi on September 5 in connection with an alleged coal scam case and sought direction to the agency to allow her to appear before it in Kolkata, where she claimed she resides.
Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya directed the ED to question Gambhir at its zonal office in Kolkata in September or whenever she is summoned.
The judge also directed the central probe agency to file affidavit in opposition to Gambhir's petition by three weeks and the petitioner to file her reply to it within another two weeks thereafter.
The matter will come up for hearing again after five weeks and the ED will not take any coercive action against the petitioner till the next date of hearing, it directed.
The court noted submissions of Gambhir's counsel that the Supreme Court had allowed Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira to appear before the agency's officers in Kolkata in connection with the same case.
Gambhir is the sister-in-law of Abhishek Banerjee, all India general secretary of Trinamool Congress.
The ED opposed the relief sought by Gambhir claiming that confidential documents in connection with which she is to be questioned is in Delhi and that it is not possible to bring these to Kolkata.
Refusing to accept the ground, Justice Bhattacharya said that the alleged offence emanates from West Bengal.
The ED is pursuing the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Anup Majee, the alleged kingpin of a coal mining pilferage-linked money laundering case related to Eastern Coalfield Limited's mines in Kunustoria and Kajora in and around Asansol in West Bengal.
Assets of more than Rs 15 crore belonging to two close associates of Majee were attached in July.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already issued a summons to Abhishek for questioning in connection with its probe into an 'coal pilferage scam', an official said on Tuesday.
The central agency has asked Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to appear at its Kolkata office at 11 AM on Friday, he said.
The ED has also sent a notice to Abhishek Banerjee's sister-in-law Menoka Gambhir for questioning in the same case on September 5, the officer said.
Gambhir has been asked to appear before sleuths of the central agency at its New Delhi office, he said.
During the day, the Calcutta High Court directed the ED to question Gambhir in the alleged coal scam at its regional office here and not to take coercive steps against her till the next date of hearing.
The matter will come up for hearing again after five weeks, the court said.
Gambhir had challenged a summons by the central agency to appear before it in Delhi in connection with the case.
She sought direction to the ED to allow her to appear before it in Kolkata, where she claimed she resides.
"We have summoned Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with the coal pilferage scam. Our officers from New Delhi will come to interrogate him," the senior ED official told PTI.
The notice to the TMC MP was sent on Sunday, he said.
"We have to find out more details about Gambhir's bank account in London through which several transactions were carried out," he said.
Dubbing the summons to its leader in connection with the alleged coal pilferage scam as "vendetta politics", the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday claimed that the move came following the ruling party's recent mega rally here, which left the BJP "ruffled".
"Our party supremo Mamata Banerjee had this apprehension that central agencies might send notices to party leaders, following the successful meeting of the Chatra Parishad (students' wing). Today, they have summoned Abhishek. This proves that BJP is pursuing vendetta politics," senior TMC leader Sougata Roy said.
While attacking the BJP during the programme, the chief minister had on Monday apprehended that the central agencies might send notices to her nephew, considered the second in command in the party.
Abhishek Banerjee, who was present at the August 29 programme, had also said, "This is a big gathering today, and mark my words, maybe something is going to happen in three-four days."
The Diamond Harbour MP had earlier appeared before the ED officers twice for questioning in the case.
The Supreme Court had on May 17 stayed a Delhi High Court order, which had dismissed the pleas filed by the TMC MP and his wife Rujira Banerjee seeking quashing of summons issued to them in a money-laundering probe, and said the ED can examine them in its Kolkata office by giving 24-hour advance notice.
The central agency had earlier questioned Rujira in connection with the coal pilferage investigation.
Earlier this month, eight IPS officers posted in West Bengal were summoned by the ED to appear at its New Delhi office for questioning in the case.
The central investigating agency had in July asked state law minister Moloy Ghatak to appear at its New Delhi office in the same case.
The ED is probing into the money laundering aspect of the case, while another central agency CBI is also investigating the criminal angle of it.
The ongoing probe is linked to an FIR filed by the CBI in 2020 in the 'multi-crore rupees coal pilferage scam'.
The Central Bureau of Investigation had also questioned Rujira twice in connection with the case.
It had last year interrogated Gambhir, her husband and father-in-law in connection with the probe.
It is alleged that illegal mining of coal was carried out at leasehold mines of Eastern Coalfields' in Kunustoria and Kajora areas near Asansol in West Bengal.
Investigations have hinted towards financial transactions of Rs 1,300 crore, the bulk of which went to several influential people, as per the CBI.
the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday claimed the move came following the ruling party's recent mega rally here, which left the BJP "ruffled".
"Our party supremo Mamata Banerjee had this apprehension that central agencies might send notices to party leaders, following the successful meeting of the Chatra Parishad (students' wing). Today, they have summoned Abhishek. This proves that BJP is pursuing vendetta politics," senior TMC leader Sougata Roy said.
Earlier in the day, the ED issued a summons to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with its probe into the 'coal pilferage scam'.
The central agency has asked Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to be present at its Kolkata office on Friday morning.
Roy also wondered why BJP leaders who are named in the Saradha and Rose Valley scams are not summoned by the central agencies.
"These probe agencies are functioning arbitrarily. The ED and CBI are the biggest allies of the BJP. The saffron party cannot fight us politically and are, therefore, using the agencies to counter us," he alleged.
Later, the TMC, in a series of tweets, attacked the BJP for being "vengeful and petty".
"Astounding how the @dir_ed is always BJP-fied! Mr PM, we're wondering what makes you SO VENGEFUL, SO PETTY? Unable to accept the love that people have for the entire Trinamool Congress family, you send ED after our leaders, as soon as BENGAL REJECTS YOU. Give it up already!" it said.
"After every successful show of AITC's organisational strength, @BJP4India gets rattled into action. Our leaders are being summoned by the @dir_ed yet again. This shameful attempt to cow us down will not work! Our integrity will shine through your slander!" the TMC said in another tweet.
The chief minister had Monday slammed the opposition, especially the BJP, for "unleashing a malicious campaign" against her and other TMC members, following the arrest of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central agencies in different cases.
The BJP, meanwhile, termed the TMC allegations as baseless, contending that those involved in wrongdoing will not be spared.
"If they are innocent, then they will come clean. If anyone has committed any wrong, then the law will take its own course," BJP leader Rahul Sinha said.