ED Summons Abhishek Banerjee In School Jobs Scam, TMC Alleges BJP Of Vendetta Politics

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Abhishek Banerjee, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP, to appear before them on 9 November, regarding his alleged involvement in a school jobs scam, as confirmed by a TMC leader.

West Bengal Women and Child Welfare Minister, as well as TMC spokesperson Shashi Panja, has portrayed this summons as an act of "vendetta politics."

She further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of employing such tactics to "harass" leaders, especially in the lead-up to a crucial election early next year.

In response, the state BJP spokesperson, Shamik Lahiri, asserted that their party does not engage in vendetta politics.

He emphasised that these summons by central agencies are carried out under court supervision, and if the TMC has objections, they should seek recourse through the legal system.

It's worth noting that the ED had previously summoned Abhishek Banerjee to appear on 9 October, after he failed to respond to a summons issued on 3 October.

On that occasion, he had chosen to participate in a TMC protest rally in New Delhi, where they demanded the immediate release of central funds owed to the state.

Abhishek Banerjee, who had already faced ED interrogation for nearly nine hours in connection with a teacher recruitment scam on 13 September, had framed the questioning as an attempt to hinder his participation in the I.N.D.I. Alliance meet.

He had also argued that it underscored the pivotal role played by the TMC in forging opposition unity.

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