Kolkata: A day after getting summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee made it clear that he would not face the central agency on October 3 for questioning in Kolkata in the state government primary teachers' jobs scam.
In a defiant mood, the Trinamul Congress national general secretary also challenged the BJP to stop him from leading his party's two-day agitation from October 2 in New Delhi to seek the release of the due central funds to the state under various social welfare schemes.
He posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, "The fight against the deprivation of WB and its rightful dues shall persist regardless of the obstacles. No force on Earth can hinder my dedication to fight for the people of WB and their fundamental rights. I'll b in Delhi joining the protest on Oct 2nd & 3rd. STOP ME IF U CAN!"
Hours after his announcement, the Calcutta High Court, while hearing the recruitment scam case, ordered the removal of ED assistant director, Mithilesh Kumar Mishra, as the investigating officer of the case, with immediate effect for slow progress in the probe.
Incidentally, Mr Mishra on Thursday issued the summons to Mr Banerjee who has however decided to skip it. Justice Amrita Sinha passed the order of Mr Mishra's removal, observing that she lost confidence in him as an investigator.
The judge also asked the ED director not to entrust Mr Mishra for probe in any other case also in the state. When petitioners' counsel, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, pointed out Mr Banerjee's plan to skip his appearance before the ED on October 3, Justice Sinha sought the ED to ensure no interruptions in its investigation on that date and gave a free hand to take any step.
Meanwhile the TMC has turned furious after finding it's reservation of a Delhi-bound train of 22 coaches, to ferry around 3000 workers for the stir, has been rejected by the railways.
