WB school jobs scam: CBI interrogates Abhishek Banerjee

TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, a nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, appeared before the CBI in Kolkata on Saturday (May 20) regarding a probe into the school jobs scam.

Banerjee drove down to the CBI office at Nizam Palace to meet its officers amid heavy security deployed in the area.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate raided the residence of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, considered close to the TMC brass, also in connection with the school jobs scam, an official said. Bhadra had on March 15 appeared before the CBI for his alleged involvement in illegal appointments made in state-run and aided schools in West Bengal.

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While the Central Bureau of Investigation is probing the criminal aspect of the scam, the ED is looking into the money trail in the alleged irregularities.

The TMC leader, who was on the campaign trail in Bankura, returned to Kolkata on Friday night (May 19) to answer the CBI summons.

The summons came from a deputy superintendent of the CBI.

Abhishek dares CBI to arrest him

On Friday (May 19), the TMC leader dared the CBI to arrest him if it had any proof of corruption or misconduct against him. He said this at a rally in Bankura.

On Thursday, the Calcutta High Court dismissed a petition filed by Banerjee seeking recall of a previous court order which said that investigative agencies could interrogate him in the teacher recruitment scam.

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The TMC leader’s name had cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the scam. Ghosh alleged he was being pressured by investigating agencies to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school jobs scam case.

An attempt on Friday (May 19) to get a division bench, and after that the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court, to hear his revision plea did not yield results.

(With agency inputs)