Enforcement Directorate first interrogated Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira Banerjee in the coal smuggling case as per 50 PMLA ACT. He was called to the ED office in Calcutta. She arrived at the ED office with her child at 11:10 a.m. on Thursday. After six hours of interrogation, Rajira came out. The ED will decide what to do next after showing his statement to high-ranking officials in Delhi. ED investigating officers will return to Delhi tonight.
The Delhi ED is investigating the coal smuggling case. However, Abhishek and Rujir approached the Supreme Court on the grounds that they were facing problem on cross-examination in Delhi due to family problems. The Supreme Court asked the ED to conduct the interrogation process in Calcutta. However, the ED was also instructed to ensure full security to the Rujira and Abhishek. The ED then instructed Rujira to appear at the ED office in Kolkata this morning. Officers from the Delhi investigation team have already been brought to the ED office in Kolkata. According to sources, a four-member team, including Joint Director Kapil Raj and investigating officer Sumit Prakash Jain, has been brought to Kolkata from Delhi for questioning. They interrogated Rujira Bandopadhyay for a long time in Calcutta.
According to ED sources, after checking the assets of Anup Majhi alias Lala, the main accused in the coal smuggling case, the ED came to know that a huge amount of money had reached the bank account of a person named Rujira Narula of Singapore. Besides, the same person who is Rujira Narula and Rujira Banerjee is same, ED got that information also. ED then summoned Rujira Banerjee to the Delhi Enforcement Directorate. However, the wife of Trinamool All India President Abhishek Banerjee repeatedly avoided appearing in Delhi citing family problems. This time the ED summoned her to Calcutta for questioning. According to ED sources, inquiries will be made as to why she took the money which reached his bank account and what was the use of that money or her relationship with Anup Majhi alias Lala.
After six hours of interrogation, Rajira Banerjee came out. According to ED sources, whenever Rujira tried to keep her child by her side during the interrogation, the child cried. As a result, in many cases, the investigating officers of the ED had to stop the question and answer session for a while. The interrogation is taking place in the adjoining conference room of the Additional Director at the ED office. Video recordings of the entire interrogation episode were made. Records and written statements will be sent to the ED office in Delhi.
WHAT EXACTLY ED WANTS TO KNOW FROM RUJIRA
According to ED sources, there has been corruption in the state under the leadership of the original Kingpin Anup Maji alias Lala for smuggling coal worth around Rs 1352 crore, Rs 761 crore from the original money was sent to TMC youth leader Binoy Mishra. According to ED sources, Binoy received Rs 218 crore in the 2018-19 financial year and Rs 513 crore in the 2019-20 financial year. Besides, the accused former IC of Bankura police station received about Rs 168 crore from Binoy.
According to ED sources, the money was smuggled under the supervision of IC Ashok Mishra, who was arrested at different times, and the money was sent to the bank account of a man named Rujira Narula in Bangkok and London. On the other hand, in 2018, a large amount of money was transferred from Anup›s accountant and CA Niraj Singh to Rujira Narula›s bank account. As well as Anup, a close of Gurupada Maji, an influential name has emerged from the statement of Joy Dev Mandal. Did Abhishek›s wife know him or did he know about Rujira Narula›s bank transaction? Interrogation was carried out on this overall issue. Rujira finally left the ED office after six hours of interrogation. The ED will decide what to do next after showing his statement to high-ranking officials in Delhi. ED investigating officers will return to Delhi tonight.