Bengal school jobs scam: CBI summons Abhishek Banerjee despite SC stay

The CBI has summoned Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in connection with his alleged involvement in the school jobs-for-bribes scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday summoned Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on the basis of an order by the Calcutta High Court in connection with his alleged involvement in the school jobs-for-bribes scam.  

The summoning by the Anti-Corruption Branch of the CBI dated April 16 was delivered to Mr. Banerjee at 1.45 p.m., despite the Supreme Court earlier in the day staying the execution of the High Court order till April 24.

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Reacting to the developments, Mr. Banerjee said the summons to him despite a stay by the apex court amount to “contempt of court”.

“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 ‘summon’ was hand-delivered today at 1:45 pm. Grave State of affairs!” the Trinamool leader had tweeted.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court in an order on April 13 ordered that all the “aspects which have been indicated above, including the public speech of one Abhishek Banerjee, should also not be outside the investigation of CBI and if necessary, by ED”.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, on Monday decided to hear the plea on April 24, and had stayed the direction of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the High Court that Mr. Banerjee and Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the case, can be questioned by the ED and the CBI, and such “interrogation should be made soon.”