The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list next week for hearing the appeal of Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee, whose appeal against the Delhi High Court’s order to quash their summons in an alleged money laundering probe has been rejected. Coal scandal in West Bengal. A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramna took note of the submission of senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Banerjee couple, that the petition would be listed for an emergency hearing.
We will list it next week, said a bench comprising Justice Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli. In a petition filed through lawyer Sunil Fernandez, Banerjee and his wife sought an interim ex-part stay in the operation of the March 11 order of the Delhi High Court.
The petition seeks directions to the ED that they be investigated in Calcutta and that Rujira Banerjee be excused from personal appearance and be allowed to appear in the trial court through her lawyer. A single bench of the High Court rejected the pleas of Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and his wife Rujira Banerjee, who had challenged the September 10, 2021 summons issued to them and sought directions from them. Being a resident of West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) did not summon them to appear in Delhi.
The High Court also dismissed another plea by Rujira challenging the ED’s allegations against him in the money laundering case, the trial court order that took cognizance of the allegation and the subsequent issuance of summons for physical appearance.
The appellant, in the Supreme Court, has said that the crucial question of the law, the urgency of the public question raised in this urgent petition for the kind consideration of the Hon’ble Court, is whether the respondent-ED can take a pan-India jurisdiction, under Article 50 of the PMLA. To summon any person without indicating whether he is being summoned as an accused / suspect or as a witness anywhere. Congratulatory policy on the fundamental rights of witnesses / defendants, fair play and speedy investigation, and existing provisions of the CrPC and PMLA. “
The couple, who were asked by the agency to appear in person in New Delhi on September 21, 2021 with a huge document, claimed in the petition that they were residents of Kolkata and should not be forced to join. Investigate here.
The 34-year-old MP represents the Diamond Harbor seat in the Lok Sabha and is the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The High Court had earlier refused to grant any interim relief to Banerjee and his wife in the matter.
The ED has filed a case under the PMLA provisions on the basis of a November 2020 FIR filed by the CBI alleging theft of multi-crore coal related to Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in Kunustoria and Kazora areas of Asansol and its vicinity. Local coal operator Anup Majhi alias Lala is alleged to be the main suspect in the case.
The ED claimed that the Trinamool MP was the beneficiary of the funds raised from this illegal business. He has denied all allegations.
Read all the latest news, breaking news and IPL 2022 live updates here.