Coal smuggling case: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee appears before ED

Kolkata, Sep 02: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday in connection with their investigation into the coal smuggling case.

Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reached the agency's office at CGO Complex in Salt Lake near Kolkata around 11 am. A team of five officers of the ED reached Kolkata on Thursday night to question Banerjee, the TMC's national general secretary.

The central investigating agency had questioned the Diamond Harbour MP at its headquarters for close to eight hours in March. This time, Abhishek will be questioned in Calcutta.

The Supreme Court had instructed the ED, following a plea from Abhishek, in May that the central agency could question the MP and his wife, Rujira, in Calcutta instead of Delhi.

It is alleged that illegal mining of coal was carried out at leasehold mines of Eastern Coalfields' in Kunustoria and Kajora areas near Asansol in West Bengal.

Investigations have hinted towards financial transactions of Rs 1,300 crore, the bulk of which went to several influential people as per CBI.

The probe revealed that the money was deposited in foreign bank accounts of these influential people through hawala.