"Stop Me If You Can": Abhishek Banerjee's Challenge On Probe Agency Summons

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee today, without naming them, threw a challenge at probe agency Enforcement Directorate, which wants to question him in connection with an alleged school jobs scam, by indicating he would skip the summons. He was summoned to appear before the agency on October 3, when his party had planned a big protest in Delhi "for West Bengal's rightful dues". In a post on X, Mr Banerjee said, "no force on Earth" can hinder "his dedication to fight for the people".

"The fight against the deprivation of WB and its rightful dues shall persist regardless of the obstacles. No force on Earth can hinder my dedication to fight for the people of WB and their fundamental rights. I'll b in Delhi joining the protest on Oct 2nd & 3rd.

STOP ME IF U CAN!" the TMC national general secretary posted.

Mr Banerjee, who has been asked to appear under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, had earlier said that this "stark revelation unequivocally exposes those who are truly perturbED, rattlED and scarED!" - a wordplay on ED.

The Trinamool Congress has planned to protest in Delhi on October 3 over dues to Bengal under the rural jobs scheme MGNREGA. The party called the summons an attempt by the BJP to disrupt its planned rally.

Mr Banerjee, along with other party MPs, MLAs and leaders will pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in the national capital on October 2 on his birth anniversary.

A TMC delegation will meet the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh on October 3 and place before him the issue of "non-release of dues" under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). 

Earlier, Mr Banerjee, who is Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, was summoned by the financial probe agency on September 13. Taking to X, Mr Banerjee had said he had received a summons from the ED "on the very same day" he is to attend the first meeting of the coordination committee of the INDIA bloc.

In June, Mr Banerjee dismissed an ED summons in the case, saying that he was not obligated to appear before the agencies at their whims. He even accused the probe agency of "planting evidence". Mr Banerjee found support in his aunt and Bengal Chief Minister, who claimed "torture" by the agency that reports to the Centre.

Abhishek Banerjee, who is also being investigated in an alleged coal smuggling case, has denied all accusations and said that legal action against him is a result of political vendetta.