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Tag: Abhishek Banerjee

  • CBI summons Abhishek Banerjee’s brother-in-law in illegal coal-mining case

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The CBI has summoned the brother-in-law of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on March 15 in connection with an illegal coal-mining case, officials said on Friday.

    Ankush Arora, the husband of Banerjee’s sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir, and his father Pawan Arora have been asked to appear before the investigating officer in the case on March 15, they said.

    The central probe agency recently questioned Banerjee’s wife Rujira and sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir in the case pertaining to illegal coal mining and pilferage from the mines of the Eastern Coalfields Limited.

    West Bengal is set to witness an eight-phase Assembly election starting March 27 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading a vigorous campaign in the state to oust the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had secured consecutive electoral wins in 2011 and 2016 under its leader Mamata Banerjee.

    Abhishek Banerjee, the Lok Sabha MP from the Diamond Harbour constituency and the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, wields considerable influence in the party and has been leading the TMC’s counter-attack in the run-up to the Assembly polls.

  • ‘My spine is not for sale’, says Abhishek at Suvendu Adhikari’s backyard

    By PTI
    GHATAL: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday held a roadshow at Ghatal in Purba Medinipur district, considered a stronghold of turncoat Suvendu Adhikari, and said that his spine is not for sale like “some other people”.

    Adhikari, once considered a close aide of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, joined the BJP in December last year.

    Without naming Adhikari, Abhishek Banerjee described him as a betrayer who “brought disgrace” to Medinipur, the birthplace of freedom fighters like Khudiram Bose and Matangini Hazra.

    “You cannot scare me by using the CBI and the ED. I will continue to speak out against injustice and the hate politics of the BJP. My spine is not for sale like some other people who had crossed over to save skin, to stop raids,” the Diamond Harbour MP said.

    A CBI team on February 23 visited the residence of the TMC youth wing president and examined his wife Rujira in connection with a coal pilferage case.

    The agency also examined Rujira’s sister Menaka Gambhir on the previous day on the same matter.

    “Shouldn’t people reject those who consider Medinipur (district) and its different areas as their fiefdom? Shouldn’t people teach those who have brought disgrace to the holy land of Matangini Hazra and Khudiram Bose and other luminaries by their act of betrayal a lesson?” he asked.

    While Khudiram Bose was hanged in 1908 at the age of 18, 72-year-old Hazra was shot dead by the police at Tamluk in undivided Medinipur district in 1942.

    Banerjee said, “Medinipur is not someone’s ancestral property. Medinipur belongs to its people. Haldia, Ghatal, Nandigram, Khejuri and all the places in Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts belong to the people of the areas, not some individuals.”

    Suvendu Adhikari was known as the face of the anti- land acquisition movement in Nandigram during the Left Front rule.

    The Adhikari family holds sway in a number of assembly seats in several south Bengal districts including two Medinipurs.

    Outsiders visiting the district and the state to seek votes will be driven away by voters, the chief minister’s nephew said.

    “They are holding elections in two phases in both Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur. Is it to benefit someone? You are thinking polling will be conducted by outsiders and central forces. Rest assured that all your candidates will forfeit their deposits even if voting takes place in 31 phases for 31 seats,” he said.

    There are 15 assembly seats in Purba Medinipur district and 16 in Paschim Medinipur.

    Elections to the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases.

    The first and last phase of polling will be held on March 27 and April 29 respectively.

    Votes will be counted on May 2.

    Wondering how the BJP brands leaders of the ruling party of West Bengal as pro-Bangladesh for chanting “Jai Bangla (hail Bengal)”, Banerjee said, “Even if you cut my throat I will keep chanting Jai Hind, Jai Bangla. I love my country, my state. You cannot muzzle my voice.”

    “Jai Bangla” was a popular slogan during the Bangladesh liberation war.

    Those opposing such slogans have no connection with the roots, with the ethos of Bengal, the TMC leader said at the end of the roadshow.

    Standing atop a blue truck with ‘Didir Doot’ (Emissary of Didi) written on it, Banerjee held the roadshow from Daspur to Ghatal town, covering a distance of over 4 km.

  • CBI at Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek’s residence to examine his wife in coal pilferage case

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: A CBI team visited the residence of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday to examine his wife Rujira in the coal pilferage case, officials said.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the residence of her nephew Abhishek in south Kolkata’s Harish Mukherjee Road minutes before the CBI team landed there.

    The CBI’s visit to Abhishek’s residence comes after Rujira told the central agency that she will be available for examination between 11 am and 3 pm on February 23, replying to a notice that the sleuths had hand-delivered her on Sunday.

    The agency sought the examination of Rujira Banerjee to ascertain the details of her bank transactions, suspecting a connection to the proceeds of the illegal coal excavation money, sources said.

    On Monday, the CBI examined Rujira’s sister Menaka Gambhir in connection with the same case. Two woman officers of the CBI visited Gambhir’s residence off EM Bypass and had examined her for nearly three hours.

    The developments come months ahead of the assembly elections in the state with Trinamool Congress alleging it to be a political vendetta.

    The CBI on November 28 last year carried out a massive search operation in a number of locations across four states — West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh — after registering a case against one Anup Majhi alias Lala.

    It is alleged that Lala, the alleged kingpin of the scam, is involved in illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL in Kunustoria and Kajora areas, sources said.

  • CBI grills sister-in-law of Mamata’s nephew in coal pilferage case

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: With less than two months to go for the Assembly polls in West Bengal, a team of eight CBI officers grilled the sister-in-law of Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee, at her south Kolkata residence in connection with a coal pilferage case.

    Meanwhile, the ED issued notice to the daughter of Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim in connection with suspicious fund siphoning overseas.

    The CBI had on Sunday issued a notice on Abhishek’s wife Rujira in the coal smuggling case. She responded on Monday saying she would be available at her residence from 11 am to 3 pm to reply to CBI’s questions.

    The CBI team had to wait outside the housing complex of Maneka Gambhir, Abhishek’s sister-in-law, for over 20 minutes as the guards did not allow the vehicles of the central agency to enter. The security guards told the officers that the journalists would enter the premises if their vehicles were allowed. However, the officers got of their vehicles and walked into Maneka’s apartment.

    ALSO READ | Illegal coal mining in Bengal: SC seeks CBI’s reply on plea challenging its jurisdiction to probe

    “We interrogated her for three hours and recorded her statement. She co-operated with us,” said a CBI officer, adding the agency might interrogate her again, if necessary.

    The CBI had registered an FIR in November 2020, against businessman Anup Kumar Majhi alias Lala and two general managers and security officials of the Eastern Coalfield Ltd (ECL). It is alleged that Manjhi is involved in illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL.

    Since the FIR was lodged, the BJP, without naming Abhishek Banerjee, has been alleging involvement of several Trinamool Congress leaders and the “nephew”, who, they claimed, were instrumental in siphoning off the money earned from the sales of smuggled coal into the fund of the ruling party. In all the campaigns, BJP’s national leadership never missed opportunities to hit out at the Bengal CM on her nephew issue.  

  • Not afraid of anyone, can’t be initimidated with jail: Mamata, nephew Abhishek hit out at Centre

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Amid rising political temperature in poll-bound West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that she is not afraid of anyone and cannot be intimidated with jail or anything else.

    She asserted that her mother tongue Bangla has taught her to fight like a tiger and not to be afraid of rats.

    Holding out a challenge without naming any one or political party as the state prepares to go to polls shortly, the Trinamool Congress supremo said that they have not learnt to lose.

    “Don’t try to intimidate us with jail, we have fought against guns and are not afraid of fighting against rats,” she said.

    “As long as there is life in me, I will not be afraid of any intimidation,” the feisty Bengal leader said at a programme here on International Mother Language Day celebrated on February 21.

    A few hours before the programme, the CBI had served notice to her nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s wife and sister-in-law for questioning in connection with a case of alleged coal pilferage.

    Maintaining that she is accepting all challenges on the historic February 21, she said “Let there be challenge in (20)21, let us see whose strength is more; there will be only one game in (20)21 and I will be the goalkeeper in that match and want to see who wins and who loses.

    “We have not learnt to lose and they won’t be able to defeat us,” Banerjee said without naming anyone.

    The ruling TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party are engaged in a fierce battle for winning the coming assembly elections in the state.

    “My mother tongue Bangla has taught me to fight like a tiger and not to be afraid of rats,” she said, maintaining that she can speak so loudly and with pride because of the sweetness and beauty of the Bengali language.

    Banerjee said that she will give the slogan “Joy Bangla” even if she is sent to jail.

    The BJP has opposed the use of the slogan claiming that it is associated with Bangladesh.

    The TMC supremo and her party have been accusing the BJP of bringing outsiders into Bengal for the coming elections.

    The TMC launched its campaign slogan “Bengal wants its own daughter” Saturday, which the political analysts claimed is an attempt to rake up Bengali sentiments before the elections.

    “I love Bengali language and respect other languages also; why should I say Bangal and not Bangla?” she asked.

    The chief minister said that her government’s proposal to change the name of West Bengal to ‘Bangla’ has been lying with the central government for four years.

    She questioned whether the proposal is not finding favour because there is a Bangladesh.

    “We are a state and that is a country, there is Punjab in Pakistan and there is Punjab in India also,” she said, wondering what problem is there in changing the state’s name to ‘Bangla’.

    Banerjee said the state can also be called “Bangla Pradesh” like Andhra Pradesh or Himachal Pradesh.

    “I have always been seeing deprivation and a step-motherly attitude towards Bengal,” she said.

    Her nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday asserted that the party will not be cowed by the CBI notice to his wife Rujira, asking her to join the probe in a coal pilferage case.

    The notice had asked Rujira to be present at their Harish Mukherjee Road residence at 3 pm to reply to queries related to the case of theft of coal from the mines of Eastern Coalfields Ltd in West Bengal “If they think they can use these ploys to intimidate us, they are mistaken.

    We are not the ones who would ever be cowed down,” Abhishek, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said in a tweet.

    “We have full faith in the law of the land,” he said, attaching a copy of the CBI notice in the tweet.

    Later in the day, the central probe agency also summoned Abhishek Banerjee’s sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir to join the probe.

    Gambhir was served a notice at her south Kolkata residence, to appear on Monday.

  • CBI notice to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s sister-in-law in coal pilferage case

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  A team of five CBI officers visited West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s south Kolkata residence and served a notice to his wife asking her to join the ongoing probe in the coal pilferage case. Later in the evening, the central agency also served a similar notice to Abhishek’s sister-in-law.

    The CBI action became visible 48 hours after a Salt Lake court issued a summon to Union Home minister Amit Shah asking him to appear physically on Monday in connection with a defamation case filed by Abhishek.

    Sources in the central agency said the decision of serving the notice to Abhishek’s wife Rujira Banerjee and her sister Menoka Gambhir was taken after suspicious transactions in their bank accounts emerged during the coal pilferage probe. The CBI sleuths wanted to record statement of Rujira but they returned as she was not at home. The investigating officer left his contact number asking Rujira to contact him immediately.

    Referring the CBI’s action as a ploy, Abhishek twitted, ‘’At 2pm today, the CBI served a notice in the name of my wife. We have full faith in the law of the land. However, if they think they can use these ploys to intimidate us, they are mistaken. We are not the ones who would ever be cowed down.’’

    READ | CBI knocks on Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee’s house, summons wife in coal case

    The CBI had registered an FIR in November, 2020, against Anup Kumar Majhi alias Lala, two general managers of Eastern Coalfield Ltd and security officials of ECL. It is alleged that Manjhi is involved in illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL.

    Since the FIR was lodged, the BJP, without naming Abhishek, have been alleging involvement of several Trinamool Congress leaders and the ‘’nephew’’, who, they claimed, were instrumental in siphoning the money earned from the sales of smuggled coal into the fund of the ruling party. In all the campaigns, BJP’s national leadership never missed opportunities to hit out at the Bengal CM on her nephew issue.  

    The CBI sent the notices under the section 160 of CrPC considering both Rujira and Menoka as witnesses in the case. ‘’If during the course of interrogation, discrepancies in the statements of witnesses are found, they can be booked as an accused,’’ said a CBI officer.

    CPI(M) leader questioned the timing of the CBI’s action. ‘’This could have been done two years ago? Why before the polls now? It appears, now Delhi wants, so they (the CBI) are serving the notices,’’ he said.

    Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, which has alliance with the CPI(M) in the upcoming Assembly elections, ‘’Truth should come out. Whoever is being summoned should cooperate with the CBI.’’

  • ‘CBI is only ally of BJP left’: Trinamool on notice to Abhishek Banerjee’s wife

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress hit out at the Centre on Sunday, alleging political vendetta as the CBI served a notice to party MP Abhishek Banerjee’s wife, asking her to join the probe in the coal pilferage case.

    In a statement, the party said that people will give a befitting reply to the BJP over this during the polls. So predictable. So desperate. All BJP allies have left them. So the only loyal allies are CBI and ED,” it stated.

    “CBI is the only ally of the BJP left,” it added. The party said it was not scared and will fight it out. Abhishek, a TMC MP from Diamond Harbour, is the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    Trinamool Congress spokesperson and MP Sougata Roy alleged the CBI visiting Abhishek’s house was nothing but political vendetta.

    “The way BJP was targeting Abhishek for the last few days prove that they were up to something,” he said.

    The BJP said the TMC was trying to politicise the matter.

    “If someone has committed any wrong, then the law will take its course. Those who are culprits should be punished. No one should try to politicise the matter,” BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told PTI.

    The CBI team is likely to question Abhishek’s wife Rujira Banerjee in connection with the case at her residence, sources said.

    The developments come month ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal, which are likely in April-May.

  • CBI knocks on Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee’s house, summons wife in coal case

    By Online Desk
    A CBI team reached Trinamool leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek’s house in Kolkata on Sunday in connection with an alleged coal smuggling case.

    Abhishek’s wife Rujira Narula has been asked to join the probe.

    According to sources, a team of CBI’s anti-corruption branch went to Abhishek Banerjee’s residence at south Kolkata’s Harish Mukherjee Street and served the notice.

    On February 2, the investigating team of CBI also went to Andal area and visited some open-cast mines at Kajora. They had conducted a detailed probe into the illegal mining syndicate, carrying out raids in the Asansol-Durgapur belt to collate more information about the illegal network.

    CBI had in November 2020 filed a case to probe the illegal coal smuggling from Kunustoria and Kajoria coal fields of Eastern Coalfield Limited.

  • Amit Shah summoned by special court in defamation case filed by TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: A designated MP/MLA court in West Bengal issued summons to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday to appear either personally or through a lawyer before it on February 22 in connection with a defamation case lodged against him by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

    The special judge of MP/MLA court at Bidhannagar directed that Shah is “required to appear in person/by pleader” at 10 am on that day.

    The judge directed that Shah’s attendance either personally or through a lawyer is necessary to answer to a charge of defamation under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

    In a press note, Abhishek Banerjee’s lawyer Sanjay Basu claimed that Shah had made certain defamatory statements against the TMC MP on August 11, 2018 at a rally of the BJP at Mayo Road in Kolkata.

  • ‘Your son earning crores. How?’ Mamata after Shah says her nephew siphoning off govt fund

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Union Home minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were locked in a war of words while addressing two separate rallies in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday over the issue of the former’s son and the latter’s nephew.

    Shah accused Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is an MP, of siphoning off the central government’s grant meant for the people saying that after BJP comes to power in the state, it will put all culprits behind the bars. The CM hit back at Shah’s saying that his son will also not be spared for earning crores.

    Without naming Abhishek, the Union Home Minister, while addressing a rally at Namkhana, said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government gave West Bengal a financial assistance of Rs 3,59,000 crore in last five years for the people. But the money was siphoned off by the nephew and his men. If the BJP wrests power in Bengal, the new government will find the culprits even if they take refuge under the ground and put them behind the bars.”

    In retaliation, Mamata hit back and targeted Shah’s son Jay Shah. “Every day you (Shah) raise nephew issue. Your son is earning crores of money. How? Your son will also not be spared.”

    Reiterating Bengal BJP’s allegation over the issue of corruption in distributing relief for cyclone Amphan victims, Shah said the Centre’s grant for the cyclone victims were stolen by the nephew and Trinamool Congress’s musclemen. “The money sent by Narendra Modi’s government for Amphan victims was snatched away by the nephew and TMC’s goondas. After coming to power, BJP government will conduct a thorough probe into it,” he said while addressing the rally in Abhishek’s Lok Sabha constituency.

    A few km from Shah’s rally venue, Mamata hit back at Shah while addressing a gathering in Pailan in the same district. “My family will not do anything for which the image of Bengal will be maligned. Everyone in my family is involved in politics. Abhishek doesn’t get any favour from me. Abhishek is facing their attacks because of me.”

    In a reply to Shah’s allegation that she wants to see her nephew as the Chief Minister of Bengal, Mamata said, “I haven’t made Abhishek deputy chief minister.”