Coal pilferage scam: Rujira Banerjee expresses inability to appear before ED citing COVID situation

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira on Wednesday expressed her inability to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi in connection with the coal pilferage scam citing the prevailing COVID situation, and requested the agency sleuths to visit her Kolkata residence instead. The ED had summoned Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP, and his wife for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal.

Rujira Banerjee was asked to the appear before the ED on September 1, and the TMC leader, who is the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on September 3.

“This refers to summons dated August 18, 2021 asking me to appear in person in New Delhi on September 1. I am a mother of two infants, and travelling to New Delhi physically alone in the midst of the pandemic will put me and my children at grave risk.

“It would be convenient to me if you consider asking me to appear in Kolkata at my residence since your organisation has its office in Kolkata and I reside in Kolkata too,” she said in her letter addressed to Sumat Prakash Jain, Assistant Director of ED.

“Besides, as per my understanding, the alleged cause of action of the subject matter of your inquiry too arises out of West Bengal. You may communicate your decision. I assure you every cooperation from my side,” she said.

A CBI team had questioned Rujira Banerjee at her residence in February in connection with the coal pilferage case.