Abhishek Banerjee moves SC against HC order; appears for CBI questioning

Abhishek Banerjee reached CBI office amid heavy security deployment at the area. CBI had summoned him for questioning in connection with the alleged multi-crore recruitment scam in West Bengal schools.

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) all-India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday moved Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court's order on Thursday allowing ED and CBI to question him in the Kuntal Ghosh letter case in connection with the alleged multi-crore recruitment scam in West Bengal schools. This comes even as Banerjee went to the CBI office in Kolkata's Nizam Palace this morning to appear for questioning in the same case. The CBI had summoned Banerjee on Friday, a day after the Calcutta High Court dismissed Banerjee's plea and allowed the agency to interrogate the TMC leader.

After arriving at the CBI office at around 11 am, Banerjee handed over a letter informing the agency that he has moved the apex court challenging the high court's decision. In the letter, Banerjee stated that he was given less than a day's time to comply with the CBI notice though it was known that he was on a district tour as part of a mass outreach programme ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The CBI had summoned the TMC leader while he was on his 'Jono Sanjog Yatra' in the districts. After getting CBI's notice, Banerjee left his yatra mid-way in Bankura's Sonamukhi and returned to Kolkata last night. Besides Banerjee, TMC leader Kuntal Ghosh was also summoned by the CBI for questioning in the alleged recruitment scam case related to his letter where he had claimed that the officers pressured him to name Abhishek Banerjee. The entire area of the CBI office was wrapped under tight security prior to Banerjee's arrival.

Huge contingent of police forces from Tollygunge, Bhowanipore and Shakespeare Sarani police stations were deployed outside Nizam Palace. This apart, two assistant commissioner-ranked officers and one officer of the rank of deputy commissioner were posted at the CBI office. Kolkata Police have set up barricades along the entire stretch in front of the office.