The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday issued a summons to Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee, directing him to appear before the agency on June 15 in connection with the ongoing investigation into the primary school recruitment irregularities case, according to officials.
Summons Delivered at Residence
A team of ED officers visited Banerjee's residence on Kalighat Road in south Kolkata on Wednesday evening. As the Diamond Harbour MP was not present at the time, the summons was handed over to a member of his staff, officials confirmed to the news agency PTI.
Banerjee, who is the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been asked to appear at the ED's office in the CGO Complex in Salt Lake.
Background of the Investigation
The ED has been probing the alleged primary teacher recruitment scam since 2022. As part of the investigation, the agency has conducted multiple searches at premises linked to TMC leaders and has arrested several prominent figures, including former state education minister Partha Chatterjee.
Investigators suspect large-scale irregularities in teacher appointments, including alleged manipulation of merit lists, fraudulent recruitment practices, and the involvement of intermediaries in securing jobs in state-run schools. Over the past year, the ED has questioned several officials and attached assets worth crores of rupees as part of its money-laundering investigation.
Parallel Probes by ED and CBI
While the ED is examining the alleged proceeds of crime linked to the recruitment scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing other aspects of the case. Both agencies have filed charge sheets in phases as the investigation has progressed.
Role of Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd
Officials said the ED is also examining the role of Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd, a company linked to Abhishek Banerjee, after detecting suspicious transactions allegedly connected to accused middlemen in the case. The company has previously been searched, and some of its assets have been attached as part of the money-laundering probe. Banerjee, however, has denied any wrongdoing.
