TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee appears before ED in coal smuggling case

New Delhi, Sep 06: Trinamool Congress' national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in the coal smuggling scam on Monday.

"I have come here as the agency had summoned me. I will cooperate with investigating agency, " Abhishek said.

The investigating officer of the case will record Banerjee's statement under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said.

Abhishek Banerjee represents the Diamond Harbour seat in Lok Sabha and is also the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Few others linked to the case have also been summoned to appear on different dates next month, the officials said.

The case, filed under criminal sections of the (PMLA), was filed by the ED after studying a November, 2020 FIR of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that alleged a multi-crore coal pilferage scam related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in the state''s Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol.

Local state operative Anup Majhi alias Lala is alleged to be the prime suspect in the case. The ED had earlier claimed that Abhishek Banerjee was a beneficiary of funds obtained from this illegal trade.He has been denying all charges.