“At the very onset I state that I am rather shocked to find that the notice under reference was served upon me on 19.05.2023 in the afternoon, directing me to appear before your office at Kolkata at 11 am on 20.05.2023 providing me less than a day’s time to comply to your notice under reference.”

That’s how Trinamul Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee began his letter of compliance he sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday making clear his displeasure of not being provided sufficient time to abandon his state-wide mass outreach campaign he is currently conducting in Bengal countryside and appear before the investigating agency’s Nizam Palace office in Calcutta.

Despite that rider, Banerjee confirmed his presence and promised “full cooperation” to the agency’s investigation into the primary teachers’ recruitment scam and scam-accused Kuntal Ghosh’s letter where he alleged that the central agencies were coercing him to name the Trinamul MP as a beneficiary of the alleged corruption.

The letter, addressed to Sanjay Kumar Samal, DSP, CBI who was the same officer who issued the appearance summons to Banerjee under section 160 of the CrPC on Friday and typed on the leader’s MP letterhead, was delivered to the CBI even before the Banerjee physically reached the agency office a minute ahead of his scheduled time of arrival.

Interestingly enough, in his letter, Banerjee drew the CBI’s attention to the legal recourses he has taken challenging the Calcutta High Court order which dismissed his reconsideration plea to allow the agencies to involve him in the probe.

“Please note that I have preferred a Special Leave Petition before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, thereby challenging the order dated 18.05.2023 passed by the Hon’ble Justice Amrita Sinha… The same shall be mentioned for urgent hearing before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on 22.05.2023 or as and when business of the Hon’ble Court shall permit,” the letter read, confirming that the leader has already decided to move the Apex Court following the Calcutta High Court’s appeals bench turning down his prayer for an urgent hearing.

Sources in the agency confirmed that a four-member CBI team began questioning Banerjee at 11.30 am and that the entire session would be videographed and the leader’s statements transcribed and countersigned.

The quizzing team comprised Wasim Akram, CBI’s investigating officer in the case and three of the seven-member Special Investigation Team formed by the agency for this purpose of the ranks of SP, DSP and Inspector of Police, sources said.