TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's sister-in-law Maneka Gambhir was on Saturday evening stopped by the ED at the Kolkata airport from flying abroad and was handed over the summons to join investigation in a money laundering case, official sources said. Gambhir had reached the airport to take a flight to Bangkok departing around 9pm.
According to reports, Gambhir was denied immigration clearance on the basis of a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against her by the federal probe agency.
She was stopped by the immigration authorities and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was informed following which they reached the airport, spoke to her and denied her permission to travel.
The ED officials subsequently handed over summons to her seeking her appearance before the agency on Monday (September 12) at 11 am at its office in Salt Lake area in Kolkata for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal pilferage case of West Bengal.
The ED had earier issued a summons to Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with its probe into the ‘coal pilferage scam’. The central agency had asked Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to appear at its Kolkata office on Friday morning.
While attacking the BJP during a programme, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had on Monday apprehended that the central agencies might send notices to her nephew, considered the second in command in the party. Abhishek Banerjee, who was present at the August 29 programme, had also said, "This is a big gathering today, and mark my words, maybe something is going to happen in three-four days."
The Diamond Harbour MP had earlier appeared before the ED officers twice for questioning in the case.
The Supreme Court had on May 17 stayed a Delhi High Court order, which had dismissed the pleas filed by the TMC MP and his wife Rujira Banerjee seeking quashing of summons issued to them in a money-laundering probe, and said the ED can examine them in its Kolkata office by giving 24-hour advance notice.
