Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that they can go to Kolkata and conduct the investigation in a money-laundering probe, linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal, in which the agency had issued summons to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and wife Rujira.
As the ED referred to how the CBI officials were gheraoed in Kolkata earlier and said that Abhishek Banerjee is politically “influential”, the apex court observed it may say the Kolkata Police shall extend all cooperation and the state would be bound by that, the moment the agency would make a requisition 72 hours in advance.
A bench headed by Justice UU Lalit was hearing an appeal of Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira against a Delhi High Court order dismissing their petition seeking quashing of summons issued to them in the money-laundering probe linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, said they are not preventing investigation in the matter and the ED can come to Kolkata and conduct the probe.
“Supposing in case we say whatever documents, whatever records you need, every page shall be made available and you can come down to Kolkata,” the bench, also comprising Justices SR Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia, told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju who was representing the ED.
“My lords are aware…I should not say, there are instances where the CBI officers were gheraoed also,” Raju said.
On May 17 last year, a high-voltage political drama was witnessed in Kolkata as TMC supporters held demonstrations at various places, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had offered to court arrest protesting against detention of two West Bengal ministers in the Narada case by the CBI.
TMC party supporters had raised slogans against the BJP-led NDA government and hurled stones and bricks at security personnel outside Nizam Palace, which houses the CBI office, protesting the arrests.
During the hearing on Thursday, Sibal said the ED had a regional office in Kolkata.
“I (petitioner) am not preventing investigation. I am saying please come and investigate me. The issue is not of investigation, the issue is where. I am saying please come and investigate me. I will answer all your questions, you come to Kolkata. They say no, we will not come, you come to Delhi. That’s the question,” Sibal said.
The bench told the ASG that it would say that the state of West Bengal shall, upon requisition by ED, give them a police force.
“Very well, we will give you that kind of leeway. But, you can go ahead, and check the entire record wherever it is…. We will say the state of West Bengal shall, upon your requisition, give you police,” it said.
When Raju said that the ED has territorial jurisdiction and the case has been registered in Delhi, the bench said, “If you have territorial jurisdiction all over the country, you can as well go and make the investigation in Kolkata.”
