Setback for TMC's Abhishek Banerjee as SC refuses to stay probe in West Bengal teacher recruitment scam
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Abhishek Banerjee last month over its investigation in the teacher recruitment scam. Abhishek declined to comply citing political responsibilities.
Teacher recruitment scam: In a setback for Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with an order passed by the Calcutta High Court allowing central agencies to investigate his involvement in the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam.
The apex court asserted that interfering with the Calcutta HC's order will amount to "stifling investigation at this stage", as reported by PTI. "Petitioner can avail the available remedies under the law," the bench said.
Last month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned Abhishek, a senior leader in the TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, for questioning regarding its ongoing investigation into a scam involving primary school jobs. The TMC General Secretary had refused to comply with ED's summon, citing political responsibilities.
On May 26, the Supreme Court stayed the Calcutta High Court order, which imposed a cost of Rs 25 lakh on Trinamool Congress leader Banerjee while dismissing his plea seeking recall of a previous order pertaining to the probe into the school jobs scam case.
This comes within 24 hours after the Calcutta HC quashed a plea filed by Abhishek seeking recall of a previous court order allowing central agencies to probe him.
In April, the Supreme Court expressed displeasuer over Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay's comments on the controversy and asked the acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta HC to reassign the jobs scam case to another judge.
Abhishek was named in a complaint filed by local businessman Kunal Ghosh, an accused in the jobs scam case, who alleged that he was being pressure to name the TMC leader in the case by central agencies. Abhishek himself has repeatedly lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for misusing agencies under its control.
On May 20, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had officers interrogated the TMC MP at their Kolkata office for more than nine hours as part of their investigation into the primary school jobs scam.