Abhishek Banerjee’s Sister-In-Law Stopped At Airport, Summoned By ED

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee’s sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir was stopped at Kolkata’s NSCBI airport and denied permission to travel abroad as she has been served a notice to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday.

The summons is in connection to the coal smuggling case, in which Abhishek has also appeared before the probe agency thrice.

Menaka, who was at the airport to catch a flight to Bangkok on Saturday night, was stopped by Immigration authorities, who informed ED officials and handed her the notice to join the investigation in the money-laundering case.

There was also a look-out circular issued against Gambhir by ED, which is why she was stopped from flying. This is the third time she has been summoned by ED.

The ED lodged a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on an FIR registered by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in November 2020, alleging that illegally mined coal worth several thousand crores of rupees is being sold in black market related to Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in and around Asansol in West Bengal.

Abhishek’s wife Rujira Banerjee was earlier quizzed by CBI.