Not to interfere with Calcutta HC order allowing Central agencies to quiz Abhishek Banerjee, can't stifle investigation: SC
Jul 10, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 10 : The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court allowing Central agencies to quiz Abhishek Banerjee in matter relating to teacher recruitment irregularities in West Bengal and noted that doing so may lead to stifle investigation at this stage.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud refused to interfere with Calcutta HC order which allowed Central agencies to quiz Abhishek Banerjee in matter relating to teacher recruitment irregularities in West Bengal.
The court said that the single judge of Calcutta HC held that there is no reason to prevent the investigation being carried out by ED considering the ramifications of the matter.
"We are therefore not inclined to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order since consequence of doing so would be to stifle the investigation at this stage," the court said.
However the court left it open for the petitioner Abhishek Banerjee to pursue remedies as per available.
However the court directed to delete the costs imposed against the petitioner by the single judge of Calcutta HC.
The court was hearing Abhishek Banerjee's plea against Calcutta HC allwoing agencies to quiz him in the teacher recruitment irregularities case.
Abhishek Banerjee's lawyer apprised the court that his client had been called various times, when he has been campaigning in remote areas in Darjeeling and her wife has been stopped on airport.
Central Agencies lawyer informed the SC that Abhishek Banerjee's wife was carrying excess gold so she was detained in the airport but not arrested.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for Central agencies, opposed Abhishek Banerjee plea challenging the Calcutta HC order which allowed Central agencies to quiz him relating to recruitment irregularities. He submitted that even it is assumed that the judge was biased and passed a wrong order but that doesn't mean that the ED cannot investigate. ED has inherent powers to investigate, Raju informed SC.
Central agencies lawyer apprised the SC crores of money have exchanged in the teacher recruitment scam Central Agencies urged SC that Abhishek must co-operate in the probe whenever he has been summoned for questioning.
A vacation bench earlier stayed the portion of HC's order imposing cost against him.
Calcutta High Court had allowed the central agencies to quiz the TMC leader in the recruitment scam in West Bengal schools. Thereafter CBI issued summon against Banerjee.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had questioned nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the school recruitment scam in West Bengal.
Banerjee has questioned the probe agency's decision to summon him on short notice.
