The Enforcement Directorate assured the Supreme Court on Wednesday that Trinamul MP Abhishek Banerjee would not be summoned for questioning in connection with money-laundering cases related to the alleged teacher recruitment scam before July 10 in view of the April-June general election.
The ED gave a similar assurance to the apex court on the case registered against Nalini Chidambaram, wife of former Union minister P. Chidambaram, who is also facing prosecution by the ED in connection with alleged PMLA offences linked to the Saradha scam.
The assurances were recorded by a bench of Justice Bela M. Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal after senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for the two accused and additional solicitor-general S.V. Raju for the ED.
The apex court observed that Abhishek was an MP contesting the general election.
Considering the arguments of the counsels, the court ordered that the next hearing be listed on July 10.
Earlier, during the arguments, Sibal told the bench that Abhishek could not be summoned to Delhi by the ED, which if it wanted could always question him in Calcutta where too it had an office.
Sibal submitted: “My Ladyship knows we are in the midst of an election.” Justice Trivedi, heading the bench, shook her head with a smile and remarked: “We do not!”.
When Sibal said the ED could wait for a few more months before questioning Abhishek, the bench observed: “We cannot say they should not call you.”
Sibal argued: “Let them (ED) come to Calcutta.” The bench replied: “Why? You have to go.” Sibal said: “They have offices there. They will call me (Abhishek) every day. Let me know what they want. My income tax accounts are there. I have filed returns for 10 years.”
Sibal said Abhishek was willing to cooperate, but the ED could always question him in Calcutta or wait till the elections conclude as the Trinamul MP was in the poll fray. Sibal added that in any case Abhishek had not been summoned by the ED since last year, and hence questioning could wait till the elections were over.
