ED can consider issuing fresh summons to Abhishek if not satisfied: HC

The Calcutta High Court has said that the Enforcement Directorate can consider issuing fresh summons to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee if it is not satisfied with the documents submitted by him in connection with the alleged school jobs scam in West Bengal.

The ED had on Wednesday summoned Banerjee to appear before it here on October 9, after he skipped the October 3 summons to participate in a TMC protest rally in New Delhi, demanding immediate release of central funds due to the state.

Hearing an appeal by the Diamond Harbour MP challenging an order of a single bench that had directed the ED to ensure the investigation process on October 3 is not hampered, a division bench said the agency can fix a time limit for Banerjee to submit documents as required by it.

The division bench presided by Justice Soumen Sen on Wednesday suggested that the ED can consider summoning Banerjee if it is not satisfied with the documents submitted by him to the investigators.

The probe agency is scheduled to make submissions on Thursday before the bench, also comprising Justice Uday Kumar, on the suggestion.

Banerjee, who was questioned by the ED for nearly nine hours in the teacher recruitment scam on September 13, had then claimed that the interrogation was an attempt to prevent him from participating in the INDIA' meet, and was a testament to the pivotal role the TMC plays in forging opposition unity.

The two-time TMC MP had also been questioned by the ED twice in the coal pilferage case, once in the agency's office in the national capital in 2021 and again in Kolkata in 2022.