The Enforcement Directorate has summoned West Bengal Law Minister Malay Ghatak in connection with the scam, to its New Delhi office on September 14.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday issued fresh summons to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee to appear before it on Friday in connection with its ongoing investigation into the coal smuggling scam. The agency has also summoned West Bengal Law Minister Malay Ghatak in connection with the scam, to its New Delhi office on September 14.
Abhishek Banerjee’s sister-in-law, Maneka Gambhir is supposed to be present at the agency`s Kolkata office on September 5.
Reacting to the ED summons against her family members and minister, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: “The agency summons are not just vindictive politics, it’s open violence… I would not have joined politics if I knew that politics would become this dirty.”
She again alleged that the issues of cattle and coal smuggling are the responsibility of the union home ministry and the central government.
“One cannot fool everyone all the time…The way you are slandering us in mass media without evidence, the kind of language you use and quote ‘sources’… You should think about what would happen if the same were done to you…We will not take things lying down,” she said.
The BJP has been repeatedly alleging that the money from cattle and coal smuggling goes to Kolkata’s Kalighat, where Mamata Banerjee lives, an area famous for its Kali temple.
Reacting to the recent public interest litigation (PIL) filed at a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, demanding central agency probe into the assets of her family members, the chief minister said that if anyone can trace any property in the name of her or any of her family members by illegally encroaching government land, that person will have the liberty to demolish that property using a bulldozer.
"Even my permission will not be required for that. I have asked the state chief secretary to conduct an independent probe in the matter. If there is a single allegation against any member of my family of illegally occupying land, that family member concerned will be answerable," the chief minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, she said she does not stay with her other family members. "They stay separately like nuclear family units. We just get together on social occasions," the chief minister said.
She also referred to the statements made by opposition leaders that the ultimate destination of the proceeds of financial crimes like coal and cattle smuggling and teachers` recruitment scams is Kalighat. Although they did not specify any further, their clear indication was the chief minister`s residence which is at Kalighat.
"Why are you stopping at Kalighat? If you have the courage, take the name of the person who is the ultimate recipient of that money. Or do you mean that the money is going to the famous Kali temple at Kalighat?," the chief minister said.
Earlier in the day, she chaired a meeting of the state cabinet where a decision was taken to increase the age for applying for police constables in the state from 27 to 30 years. She announced special uniform allowances for all police personnel irrespective of ranks.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - File Photo")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}