Rujira Banerjee, the wife of senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, was reportedly prevented from boarding a flight to the UAE due to a “lookout” notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The notice required her appearance before the ED on June 8, as part of an ongoing investigation into the coal pilferage case. Abhishek Banerjee, addressing the media, accused the ED of targeting his family to disrupt his election campaign ahead of the panchayat elections. However, the ED maintains that the matter is sub-judice, and Rujira Banerjee has been summoned to appear before the agency.
Alleged Incidents and Reactions:
According to sources, Rujira Banerjee arrived at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata with her two children in the morning but was halted at immigration. Her lawyer stated that she was stopped based on a lookout notice issued by the ED. However, Rujira’s legal team emphasized that there are no foreign travel restrictions on her as per a Supreme Court order.
The lawyer further mentioned that Rujira had already informed the ED about her travel plans and provided them with a copy of her tickets. A statement from her office also highlighted that she had previously traveled to the USA without any objections from the ED. It stated that Rujira had only been questioned by the ED once in June the previous year, and she had complied with the interrogation.
Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, held a press conference and challenged the ED to arrest him or his wife if they had any evidence of corruption. He alleged that the harassment of his family was a deliberate attempt to hinder his campaign for the upcoming panchayat elections. Abhishek stated that he would not yield to pressure except from the will of the people and vowed to take legal action against the alleged violation of the Supreme Court order.
Response from Authorities and Political Parties:
A senior ED officer confirmed that Rujira Banerjee had been asked to appear before their officers on June 8 at their city office. The ED clarified that she was prevented from boarding the flight due to the lookout notice against her, and the matter was currently under judicial review.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the ED’s actions as inhuman and criticized the issuance of the notice despite Rujira’s prior notification. She emphasized that the Supreme Court had granted permission for Rujira to travel abroad, citing her mother’s long-standing illness. Mamata Banerjee called attention to the timing of the notice and expressed her discontent with the ED’s approach.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded to Abhishek Banerjee’s allegations by asserting that the ED is an independent agency and denied any involvement in its proceedings. BJP leader Rahul Sinha stated that if the Banerjee family had any complaints, they should address them through legal channels.
Conclusion:
The incident involving Rujira Banerjee being stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight due to a lookout notice issued by the ED has sparked controversy. While Abhishek Banerjee accused the ED of harassment, claiming it was an attempt to impede his election campaign, the ED maintained that the matter was sub-judice. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the ED’s actions as inhuman and pointed out that Rujira had already informed the agency about her travel plans. The political discourse surrounding the incident underscores the ongoing tensions between different parties in the region.
