Supreme Court rejects TMC Abhishek Banerjee’s plea against ED summons in money laundering case 

The Supreme Court on September 9 dismissed the appeals filed by TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife-Rujira Banerjee challenging the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons related to alleged scam in schools jobs case.  

ED has claimed that the TMC MP and his wife are involved in a scam worth crores of rupees related to teacher recruitment in West Bengal schools. The duo challenged the ED summons so far as it requires their attendance in New Delhi. Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee, argued that they should be summoned to Kolkata, as it is their place of residence. 

A bench comprising Justices Bela Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma pronounced the verdict. The bench had reserved the judgment on August 13. 

The anti-money laundering agency named Banerjee in a chargesheet filed in June last year. According to the ED, one person who paid TMC leaders to get a job in schools alleged that the money he gave to Trinamool leader Kuntal Ghosh was handed over to Sujay Krishna Bhadra. Sujay Bhadra, a Yuva Trinamool leader, handled the finance-related matters for Banerjee while he was president of the All India Trinamool Youth Congress.  

The agency also alleges involvement of Banerjee's family in the alleged scam. According to them, his wife Rujira was one of the directors of a private company used to divert 'tainted money' in the scam. Both Abhishek and Rujira were questioned by the central agency earlier. 

Banerjee is under investigation by the ED for multiple cases, including alleged recruitment irregularities in West Bengal schools and a multi-crore coal pilferage scam involving Eastern Coalfields mines in Kunustoria and Kajora areas near Asansol.