Soon after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a fresh summons to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishesk Banerjee in connection with its ongoing investigation into the coal smuggling scam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that if her family members get a notice from any of the central government probe agencies, she would fight them legally “though it has become a tough affair these days”.
ED has issued fresh summons to Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee to appear before its officers on Friday in connection with the coal smuggling scam.
“If my family gets notice (from central agencies), I will fight it legally, though it has become tough these days. I have faith in the judiciary,” TMC supremo said while speaking to reporters in Kolkata earlier in the day.
Further responding to the allegations of an exponential rise in the assets of her relatives, the Chief Minister said she did not help anyone get properties illegally. “If it is proved that I have encroached upon any property or helped someone in doing that, it can be bulldozed,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.
“They (BJP) allege that the coal scam proceeds are going to Kalighat, but they don’t name anyone. Is the money going to Maa Kali?, Banerjee, who lives in Kolkata’s Kalighat area, famous for its Kali temple, said.
Recently, a PIL filed before the Calcutta High Court sought an investigation into allegedly rising assets of Mamata’s relatives.
Petitioner’s advocate Tarunjyoti Tewari claimed that the assets of the family members of Banerjee, who has five brothers, witnessed an exponentially rise after 2013, two years after her party Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal.
Meanwhile, TMC has rejected the claims stating that all siblings of CM Banerjee live separately on their own. The ruling party in Bengal also clarified that Mamata does not even take the due pension as a former Lok Sabha MP or salary and perks as the chief minister.
Even the CM, during a programme, had said that she does not take the pension of Rs one lakh per month due to her as a former MP and has also not taken any money from the state exchequer since becoming the chief minister in 2011.