Political slugfest erupts over Calcutta HC’s refusal to dismiss FIR against Abhishek Banerjee

Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) A political spat broke out in West Bengal after the Calcutta High Court on Friday refused Trinamool Congress national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's plea for dismissal of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) filed by the ED in the multi-crore cash-for-school job case, through granting him interim protection against any coercive action by the agency.

While leaders of the ruling Trinamool are highlighting the part of interim protection against any coercive action, the opposition parties are dwelling on portion regarding refusal of the plea for dismissal of the ECIR.

According to veteran Trinamool leader Saugata Roy, the court order proves that Abhishek Banerjee was being unnecessarily harassed by the central agencies out of political vendetta.

"I hope that the court order will now refrain them from continuing with such unnecessarily harassment," he said. However, state BJP leader Rahul Sinha said that the protection against coercive action is just an interim affair and it does not mean a lifelong protection.

"The court rejected the plea for dismissal of ECIR, which means that the investigation will continue. When the investigation continues, the situation can change any time," he said.

CPI-M Central Committee member Dr Sujan Chakraborty questioned the desperation of seeking protection from any coercive actions. "If anyone thinks that he is not on any wrong foot, then he or she will confidently face the investigation without running from one court to another for protection," he said.