Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Friday moved the Delhi High Court against the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before its office in New Delhi next week in connection with the alleged coal mining scam.
Mr. Banerjee, in his petition filed jointly with his wife Rujira Banerjee, has challenged the summons order issued by the Assistant Director of the ED, asking for his personal appearance along with a voluminous set of documents, on September 21 in New Delhi.
The case arises out of an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with respect to alleged offences of illegal mining and theft of coal from the leasehold areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited committed in West Bengal by certain individuals. Based on the FIR, the ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR).
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The couple, who are both permanent residents of Kolkata, claimed that the ED has repeatedly summoned both of them for examination in person at New Delhi, without supplying a copy of the ECIR and without specifying whether they were being summoned as witnesses or accused, nor indicating the scope of the investigation being carried out.
They raised “serious apprehensions about the fairness of the investigation” being conducted by the ED, claiming that the agency is adopting a “pick and choose attitude” with respect to certain persons and is giving undue benefit and protection to complicit individuals.
The couple also alleged the ED is selectively leaking information to the media with the intent of harming their reputation and encouraging a media trial.
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Earlier this week, the ED had approached the High Court, challenging the notices issued to its officers by the West Bengal police, pursuant to an FIR by Mr. Banerjee. The ED, in its plea, contended that the notices are patently illegal, mala fide , and a “counter blast” to the investigation in the case.
The High Court has set the ED case for hearing on September 21.