The Enforcement Directorate has again summoned TMC leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee to join the probe at its New Delhi office on 29th March. In the past six months, he has been summoned thrice. Abhishek and his wife Rujira Banerjee have now approached the Apex Court over the ED’s jurisdictional powers. They want ED to question them in Kolkata and not in Delhi.
After being examined for eight hours, on Monday, Abhishek Banerjee spoke to the media. He claimed that federal probe agencies are being misused. and asked why raids are being carried out only in opposition-ruled states. “Their (BJP) biggest allies are CBI and ED. These agencies are private armies of BJP. You don’t see ED raids in Gujarat, Tripura, MP.. You only see ED raids in opposition states. Most vindictive govt”.
During its money laundering investigation in a coal smuggling case, the ED has found an intricate money trail involving shell companies and hawala dealers.
The case dates back to November 2020 when the CBI registered a case of theft, alleged corruption and coal smuggling in eastern coalfields. Earlier the CBI had also registered a case of cattle smuggling on the Indo-Bangladesh border. Subsequently, the ED registered a case of money laundering in both matters.
As the probe started, one of the main accused Vinay Mishra fled the county. He surrendered his Indian citizenship and reportedly settled in Vanuatu. ED has also arrested his brother Vikas Mishra. Others who have been arrested include key suspect Anup Majhi, inspector-in-charge Bankura police station Ajay Mishra.
Recently a hawala operator Emanuel Haque was arrested in a cattle smuggling racket. ED has been able to track down certain proceeds of crime in a company named Leaps & Bounds. These Kolkata-based company directors are Amit Banerjee & Lata Banerjee. They are parents of Abhishek Banerjee Transaction under Leaps & Bounds is now the subject matter of investigation.
Similarly, there are bank accounts in Thailand and Barclays Bank accounts in London which have also been investigated for suspected transactions.
