TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee accuses CBI of 'harassing' by issuing summons despite SC stay

File image: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee

Senior TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on April 17 accused central agencies of trying to "harass" him by summoning him for questioning despite the Supreme Court staying an order by the Calcutta High Court order that asked them to summon him.

Abhishek, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, tweeted images of the summon letter dated April 16, 2023 by the CBI where a handwritten line shows it was received at 1.45 pm on Monday .

"In its desperation to 'harass' and 'target' me, BJP exposes CBI & ED to contempt of court! SC stayed the Calcutta HC's order in the morning that granted permission to the Central Agencies to summon me. Yet, the summons was hand-delivered today at 1:45 pm. Grave state of affairs!" the TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said on Twitter.

In the morning, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala stayed the direction of a single judge bench of the Calcutta high court made on Thursday that TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the school jobs-for-graft case, can be questioned by investigating agencies.

The Supreme Court judgement was passed around 11.30 am.

The Calcutta High Court on April 13 said that Abhishek and Ghosh can be questioned by the ED and the CBI and such "interrogation should be made soon".