"Let Mamata Banerjee be interrogated by ED": BJP's Agnimitra Paul
Nov 01, 2023
Kolkata (West Bengal), [India], November 2 : After the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summon to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection to an excise policy-linked money-laundering case, West Bengal BJP General Secretary Agnimitra Paul has targeted state CM Mamata Banerjee, advocating for an interrogation against the TMC chief by the ED.
Speaking to ANI, Paul said that before TMC leader Jyotipriya Mallick, Mamata Banerjee should be interrogated by ED.
"Arvind Kejriwal is being called tomorrow and probably who knows the CM of Delhi will be arrested. So, if the CM of Delhi can be arrested, why can't the CM of Bengal be interrogated? Before Jyotipriya Mallick, I think Mamata Banerjee should be interrogated. What is stopping ED from interrogating her? Let her be interrogated because she knows everything," Agnimitra Paul said.
Notably, West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick was arrested late Thursday night by the ED in connection with an alleged case of corruption in the public distribution system (PDS). He was sent to ED custody till November 6 on Friday. Mallick is currently the state minister for Forest Affairs and previously led the Food and Civil Supplies department.
Several leaders of the Opposition parties have slammed the Central Government over the ED's summon to Kejriwal, alleging 'misuse' of the agencies to silence them.
The ED summons came on a day the Supreme Court denied bail to Kejriwal's former deputy, Manish Sisodia in the same case, stating there is "material and evidence" which "tentatively" supports one charge under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kejriwal was earlier summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April this year, in connection with the case.
In its prosecution complaint, ED had referred to a statement allegedly recorded by Indospirits owner and an accused in the case, Sameer Mahendru, in which he claimed that Nair told him "the new excise policy was a brainchild of Arvind Kejriwal".
