Kolkata: The much-hyped Nandigram assembly constituency in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal is to vote on April 1. When campaigning for the second phase of Bengal polls has almost reached its final stage, the kingpin in the coal smuggling case, Anup Maji alias Lala appeared at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Kolkata on Tuesday morning.
The development has created ripples in the political circles of the state especially in view of the fact that Lala appeared at the CBI office on Tuesday with the safeguard of the Supreme Court order that he cannot be arrested till a certain point of time.
Political observers feel that the search operations for Lala by the central agency failed and the kingpin of coal smuggling could not be traced anywhere. “However, his appearance at the CBI office just a few hours before the campaign for the second round of Bengal polls end is bound to raise eyebrows,” they said.
The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) spokesman, Suvankar Sarkar raised questions about the timing of Lala’s appearance at the CBI office.
“This is a clear case of a clandestine understanding between Trinamool Congress and BJP. These are nothing but drafted scripts that both the parties are just narrating, with both sides expecting to gain out of this drama. How CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials failed to trace him for such a long time? However, Lala was able to hoodwink them for such a long time? Now his appearance at the CBI office is just a stage-managed game. Actually, the agenda of both BJP and Trinamool Congress is to resist the United Front of Congress, Left parties and All India Secular Front,” he said.
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Senior CPI(M) leader, Dr Sujan Chakrabarty, however, refused to make any comment on this development, “The entire issue involves a detailed legal process and I do not think that this is the right time to make any comment on this matter,” Chakrabarty said.
Similarly, senior Trinamool Congress leaders like Saugata Roy and Kunal Ghosh, when contacted by ETV Bharat refused to make any comment on the issue.
However, BJP leadership seems to be overwhelmed by the development. According to BJP’s state vice president in West Bengal, Jai Prakash Majumdar, the public demand is that all those associated with the crime should be punished. “Lala is the kingpin of coal smuggling. We want him to be punished. We also want that the central investigation bodies like CBI and ED should investigate the matter properly and nab others involved with the illegal business,” he said.
