Trinamool Congress national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Narula Banerjee encountered another instance of being prevented from boarding a flight to Dubai at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. She was detained at the airport due to her alleged involvement in the Bengal coal smuggling scandal.
Rujira Banerjee, accompanied by children, was stopped from boarding flight
Rujira, accompanied by her two children, was prevented from boarding her flight upon reaching the Kolkata airport at 7 AM.
Rujira Banerjee has received a summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and is scheduled to be questioned in two days. Today, when she arrived at the airport to catch a flight to Dubai, the immigration department stopped her and refused to allow her to board the flight.
Based on information from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), sources indicate that Rujira was stopped due to the presence of an active look-out circular issued against her.
ED's allegations
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Abhishek Banerjee and his family are linked to two companies, namely Leaps and Bound PVT LTD and Leaps and Bound Management Services LLP. The ED alleges that these companies received protection funds totaling Rs 4.37 crore from a construction company through individuals who are under investigation in the coal smuggling case.
Amit Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee's father, serves as one of the directors of Leaps and Bound Pvt Ltd. Additionally, Rujira Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee's wife, is a director of Leap and Bound Management Services Limited, along with his father.
Lawyer says she had informed ED about travel plan
According to Rujira Banerjee's lawyer, she had previously informed the ED by sharing her travel itinerary and a copy of her tickets a few days ago.
"Though not required to intimate, still to express her bonafide, Rujira Banerjee, wife of TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee informed ED through email of her upcoming visit to Dubia from June 5 to June 13 with her children. There was no response/communication from ED objecting to such a visit which they could not have in view of the orders of the Supreme Court," her lawyer said.
The lawyer, terming the move as gross violation of the Supreme Court’s orders, said, "She was stopped at immigration along with her minor kids and informed that she cannot travel abroad. She was also handed over a copy of summon directing her to appear before the ED office in Kolkata on June 8. We will be moving to court as it has been a violation of SC order."
According to PTI's report, multiple attempts to obtain a statement from the airport and ED authorities were unsuccessful, as they did not provide a response.
Political slugfest
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that ED and CBI are harassing Rujira as she was travelling to visit her ‘unwell’ mother.
“It is unfortunate what the ED and CBI are doing. They are harassing people. Abhishek Banerjee’s mother-in-law is unwell, and hence his wife was traveling to meet her mother. The Supreme Court had said that if she were to leave the city, she could inform the ED and do so, which she did well in advance. ED officials could have told her in advance that she couldn’t travel abroad. But handing summons at the airport itself is nothing but harassment,” said Mamata.
However, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the Chief Minister is protecting those who are involved in scams.
Coal pilferage scam and connection to Rujira Banerjee
In relation to an investigation into a multi-crore coal pilferage scam, Rujira Banerjee has previously been interrogated by central agencies. The probe is linked to an FIR filed by the CBI in 2020 regarding the said coal pilferage scam.
The alleged illicit mining of coal occurred at leasehold mines in the Kunustoria and Kajora areas near Asansol, West Bengal, belonging to Eastern Coalfields. Investigations have indicated financial transactions amounting to Rs 1,300 crore, with a significant portion of the funds allegedly reaching various influential individuals, as per the CBI.
The investigation has revealed that the money was deposited into foreign bank accounts of these influential individuals through hawala channels. Last year, Rujira Banerjee was questioned by the ED in connection with the coal pilferage scam investigation. The CBI also questioned her in 2021 regarding the same case.
