Rujira Banerjee was also summoned by the agency at the airport. (File)
Trinamool Congress' Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira, being investigated in coal case, was yesterday stopped from boarding an international flight at the Kolkata airport.
She was also summoned by the agency at the airport.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee have hit out at the BJP after Rujira Banerjee was stopped from flying out of the country, despite informing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about her travel plans.
"It is unfortunate what the ED and CBI are doing. They are harassing people. Abhishek Banerjee's mother-in-law is unwell, and hence her wife was traveling to meet her mother. The Supreme Court had said that if she were to leave the city, she could inform the ED and do so, which she did well in advance. But summoning her at the airport itself, is nothing but harassment," Mamata Banerjee said.
Abhishek Banerjee said his wife's travel plans were shared with the ED out of politeness. "If I had malafide intentions, I wouldn't have informed them," he said.
The TMC claims the BJP is rattled by the response to Abhishek Banerjee's statewide yatra and the 'Trinamoole Nabo Jowar campaign'. "You have seen that ever since our Trinamoole Nabo Jowar yatra began, the Opposition party wants to obstruct it and are looking out for ways to harass us and ensure that I am mentally puzzled. I would tell them that there is no use doing this, Mr Banerjee said.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, " I will not bow down my head even if ED arrests my wife, my children, or me. With all due respect to the chair of the Prime Minister, I wish to remind him that he is almost twice my age. Your political experience might be the same as my age. Yet, you are not able to fight me politically in the people's court."
Reacting to Abhishek's allegations, the BJP said the ED is an independent agency.
"The BJP has nothing to do with the CBI or ED. The allegations are baseless. If they have any complaints, they can always move court," BJP leader Rahul Sinha said.