Delhi HC defers hearing on Abhishek Banerjee money laundering case

The Delhi High Court has deferred the hearing on the demand to stay the summons issued by the ED against TMC Member of Parliament and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee and his wife in the money laundering case.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has deferred hearing on the demand to stay the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to TMC Member of Parliament and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee and his wife in the money laundering case. The matter will be heard Tuesday, September 28.

On September 21, the court had refused to stay the summons issued by the ED against Abhishek Banerjee and his wife in the money laundering case. A bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna had issued notice to the ED.

During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Abhishek Banerjee, had said that the investigation of the 2017 case is being done, but documents before that are being sought. The ED called Abhishek Banerjee for questioning, after which he appeared September 6. ED questioned for him for 10-11 hours. As soon as Abhishek Banerjee went back from questioning, a second notice was issued to him September 8.

Sibal had said that the ED has sought details of assets of Abhishek Banerjee and his family. The ED is seeking the source of income for the last five years. Income tax returns for the last 10 years of Abhishek Banerjee and his family are being sought. This investigation is aimed at catching something somehow. He had said that a woman can be interrogated where she lives. ED cannot call his client to Delhi.

On behalf of the ED, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju had said that the address of Abhishek Banerjee is from Delhi. He is a Member of Parliament and spends a good deal of his time in Delhi. Raju had said that he had evidence that Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Banerjee was present at a beauty parlour in Delhi on the day she expressed her inability to appear in the ED.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had said that the Criminal Procedure Code does not apply to the Money Laundering Act. He had said that Kapil Sibal's argument that the Criminal Procedure Code applies to the Money Laundering Act cannot be accepted. He had said that the effects of money laundering spread all over the country and are not limited to Connaught Place only. Director of ED is defined under Section 2(k) as an all India officer. Summons have been issued against Abhishek Banerjee under Section 50 of the Money Laundering Act.

The ED has issued summons against Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee for questioning in Delhi under money laundering in the coal scam case. The petition stated that Abhishek Banerjee and his wife should be interrogated in Kolkata.