CBI keeps notice to Abhishek Banerjee in abeyance

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday sent another letter to Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee informing him that the earlier notice for questioning has been kept in abeyance till further orders from the Supreme Court.

The central probe agency's letter was dispatched a day after it had sent a notice to the TMC MP asking him to appear before its sleuths at its Kolkata office for questioning in connection with the school jobs scam following certain allegations of arrested Trinamool Congress youth leader Kuntal Ghosh.

Ghosh is an accused in the scam.

Monday's notice to Abhishek, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had reached him a couple of hours after the Supreme Court put a stay on a Calcutta High Court order permitting the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to question him till April 24.

'It is hereby intimated that the effect of the notice served to you on April 17, 2023... for appearance before the IO... is kept in abeyance until further order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court,' the CBI letter read.

A copy of the CBI letter, signed by the superintendent of police of the CBI's anti-corruption branch (ACB), Kolkata, is with PTI.

The Calcutta high court on April 13 said that Abhishek and Ghosh can be questioned by the ED and the CBI, and such 'interrogation should be made soon'.

Abhishek challenged the order at the apex court.

On Monday morning, the Supreme Court's division bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud stayed the high court's April 13 order till April 24, when the top court will take up Banerjee's plea again.

After receiving the CBI's notice on Monday, Abhishek accused central agencies of trying to 'harass' him by summoning him for questioning despite the stay order from the Supreme Court.