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Political slugfest erupts in Bengal over CBI summon to Abhishek Banerjee

Kolkata : A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal over the CBI summon to Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with the alleged recruitment scam in state-run schools in West Bengal.

According to the summon issued by CBI’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sanjay Kumar Samal, Banerjee has been asked to be present at the agency’s Nizam Palace office in Kolkata by 11 a.m. on Saturday.

On his part, Banerjee has claimed that although his legal advisors advised him to avoid the notice sent without any prior intimation, he has decided to abide by the summon to prove his point.

“I am saying again that if I am proven guilty of involvement in any kind of corrupt activities, I am ready to be hanged in public,” Abhishek Banerjee said.

Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh said, “Abhishek Banerjee is neither scared nor tense. Despite two letters from accused Sudipta Sen against the leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari about the latter’s involvement in the Saradha chit fund scam, the CBI did not summon Adhikari even once. My question is why Abhishek Banerjee is being unnecessarily summoned just by involving him in a case using jugglery of words.”

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that had Abhishek Banerjee not been scared, why was he approaching the courts to avoid summons and questioning?

“There is no need for him to get hanged in public. He should rather cooperate with the investigation,” Chakraborty said.

According to Suvendu Adhikari, the disinclination of Abhishek Banerjee to face the CBI in the matter became clear from the beginning.

“Even the court has questioned the CBI about the progress in the matter. Finally, the central agency has summoned him and all the attempts to avoid the questioning have failed,” Adhikari said.

Hindi Website