Following the summons, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee cut his Bankura campaign short to return to Kolkata
Trinamool Congress’ National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has received a notice from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday at around 2:30 PM. The notice is related to the CBI’s investigation into the primary teachers’ recruitment scam in West Bengal, specifically the Kuntal Ghosh letter case. Abhishek Banerjee has been asked to appear at 11 AM on Saturday.
“I had a few events lined up today after this roadshow. I had told you that I won’t be back to Kolkata. However, BJP can’t digest the turnout in Nobo Jowar. However, today in the afternoon, around 2.30 I got a call that CBI officials have come to my residence to serve notice.
They have told me to appear in Kolkata in the morning. They want this Nobo Jowar to halt. As soon as I entered Bankura, I was served a notice. I promise, I will resume my yatra in double strength once I am back from Kolkata,” he said.
The summons follows the dismissal of Banerjee’s application by the Calcutta High Court on Thursday. He had sought to recall the order that initiated a CBI and ED probe against him in the SSC scam.
Banerjee shared the CBI notice on Twitter, expressing his willingness to cooperate despite the lack of prior notice. He mentioned that he will resume his “Jono Sanjog Yatra” on May 22nd from the same location in Bankura where he halted today. In a determined tone, he added, “Unfazed by these events, I shall strive to serve the people of West Bengal with even greater dedication, zeal, and commitment. Bring it on 💪” followed by a muscle emoticon in his tweet.
After receiving the notice, Banerjee attended his first scheduled program in Sonamukhi. Upon his return to Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a public meeting at 3:45 PM today.
Previously, on April 17, Banerjee received a notice regarding the School Service Commission scam. However, the Supreme Court granted an interim stay on the Calcutta High Court’s order, preventing the CBI from questioning Abhishek Banerjee regarding Kuntal Ghosh’s letter at the time.