Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s sister-in-law Maneka Gambhir was interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate on Monday in a coal smuggling case linked to the Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in Asansol, reported ANI.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating an alleged money laundering angle in the case. The central agency has alleged that the scam may involve transactions of Rs 1,300 crore, the bulk of which went to several influential persons.
On Monday, due to a purported error in the summons notice, Gambhir reached the Enforcement Directorate office in Kolkata at 12.30 am, reported PTI. She posted a photo on social media holding the notice in front of the locked Enforcement Directorate office.
Gambhir was issued fresh summons to appear before the agency around 2 pm on Monday after the Enforcement Directorate said that the time printed on the earlier notice was a “typographical error”, reported PTI.
Gambhir had been stopped by the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday at the Kolkata airport when she was leaving for Bangkok. At the immigration desk on the airport, Gambhir was informed that she was not allowed to fly out of the country as a look-out notice had been issued against her by the Enforcement Directorate, reported NDTV.
Last month, Gambhir had challenged the Enforcement Directorate summons asking her to appear before it in Delhi in connection with the coal scam case. She had sought directions from the Calcutta High Court in the matter.
The High Court had directed the central agency to question Gambhir at its regional office in Kolkata and also not to take coercive steps against her till the next date of hearing.
Last month, the Enforcement Directorate had summoned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee in the coal scam case.
Last week, the Central Bureau of Investigation had also searched West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak’s homes in connection with the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating the criminal aspect of the coal smuggling case.
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