CBI Pauses Notice To TMC Leader Abhishek Banerjee Till SC’s Further Orders

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) On Tuesday sent another letter to Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee informing him that the earlier notice for interrogation had been kept in abeyance till further directives from the Supreme Court.

The central probe agency’s letter came a day after it summoned the TMC MP to its Kolkata office for questioning in connection with the school-for-jobs scam following certain allegations made by arrested Trinamool Congress youth leader Kuntal Ghosh.

Ghosh is an accused in the scam.

The notice to Abhishek, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, arrived a few hours after the Supreme Court stayed a Calcutta High Court judgement allowing the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to examine him till April 24.

The CBI letter stated, “It is hereby intimated that the effect of the notice served on you on April 17, 2023 for appearance before the IO is kept in abeyance until further order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”

A news agency has a copy of the CBI letter, which was signed by the superintendent of police of the CBI’s anti-corruption branch (ACB), Kolkata.

On April 13, the Calcutta High Court ruled that Abhishek and Ghosh can be questioned by the ED and the CBI, and that such “interrogation should be made soon.”

Abhishek contested the order to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s division bench, led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, postponed the high court’s April 13 ruling till April 24, when it will hear Banerjee’s plea again.

Following receipt of the CBI’s notice on Monday, Abhishek accused central agencies of attempting to “harass” him by summoning him for questioning despite the Supreme Court’s stay order.