Trinamool's Abhishek Banerjee Cancels Outreach Programme After CBI Summons

TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who has been called by the CBI to appear at its Kolkata office on Saturday as part of its probe into the school jobs scam, has decided to suspend his mass outreach campaign temporarily to join the probe.

According to TMC officials, the party's national general secretary has decided Friday to return to the city, temporarily suspending his ongoing mass outreach campaign for a day or two.

"I am returning to Kolkata tonight, as there has been a development," Abhishek Banerjee confirmed to reporters.

Officials said Mr Banerjee had been sent a missive asking him to join the probe at its offices at Nizam Palace here. Earlier, on Thursday, Calcutta High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Banerjee seeking recall of a previous order of the court which said that investigative agencies such as CBI and ED could interrogate him in the teacher recruitment scam.

The TMC leader's name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the scam. Ghosh alleged that he was being pressured by central investigating agencies to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school scam case.

"Abhishek Banerjee will appear at CBI's office at Nizam Palace at 11 am. He will be doing one event in Bankura and then leave for Kolkata," a TMC leader said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will address the second rally in Bankura this evening, which was earlier scheduled to be addressed by Abhishek, also the TMC supremo's nephew.

Abhishek had told newspersons on Thursday after the Calcutta High Court decision was announced, "I have full respect for the judiciary and the court. I have no problem in cooperating with investigating agencies. Earlier too, whenever central agencies summoned me, I had appeared and extended my full cooperation."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)