Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee did not cooperate with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during Monday’s more than eight-hour questioning in connection with alleged coal smuggling, sources told India Today.
Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal’s Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee, was specifically asked about the allegedly unrecorded money received from two companies linked to his family members.
However, Abhishek Banerjee has failed to explain the source of money which officials claim is the proceeds from crime generated in the coal smuggling case, sources close to ED said.
India Today has learned that Abhishek Banerjee was also confronted with bank statements from these companies during the investigation.
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The ED claims that two companies – Leaps and Bound PVT LTD and Leaps and Bound Management Services LLP – had ties to Abhishek Banerjee and his family. These firms, ED claims, have allegedly received protection money of Rs.4.37 billion from a construction company over the defendants investigated in the coal smuggling case.
Abhishek Banerjee’s father, Amit Banerjee, is a director of Leaps and Bound Pvt Ltd. His wife, Rujira Banerjee, is a director of Leap and Bound Management Services Limited with his father.
The two companies received money from business owners to help avoid “problems from local syndicates,” officials told India Today.
Abhishek Banerjee was also questioned about his alleged connection with TMC youth leader Vinay Mishra, who is a hiding defendant in the case. The ED claims that Vinay Mishra played an important role in the haulage and transportation of cash that was allegedly generated in coal smuggling.
However, sources told India Today that Abhishek Banerjee has denied any knowledge of the alleged crime or its association with Vinay Mishra in relation to financial matters.
According to sources, investigators were not satisfied with his answers. The TMC MP could be called for questioning again, sources said.
The ED also questioned Abhishek Banerjee about Anup Majhi, the main defendant in the case, and Police Inspector Ashoka Mishra. However, sources said Abhishek Banerjee also denied having any ties with them.
The ED claims that Anup Majhi has been instructing a witness on the case to deliver money to Ashok Mishra since March 2020.
The ED allegedly noted that since March 2020, large amounts of money have been packed in boxes and transported almost daily. These boxes were delivered to Bankura Police Station inspector Ashok Kumar Mishra, who later shipped the money, which allegedly reached certain high-profile politicians.
Abhishek Banerjee, on the other hand, told the media after his questioning that he answered all questions and would expand his cooperation in the future.
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