New Delhi: The Supreme Court last week refused to stay the Calcutta High Court's direction allowing the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee in connection with Bengal recruitment scam.
Hearing the matter, a bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and PS Narasimha said that the court is not inclined to interfere as far as an investigation is concerned. However, the bench stayed the high court's order imposing a Rs 25,00,000 cost on the party's national general secretary. Representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju submitted that the high court order only said that investigate if you want and independently of that order, the probe agency has the power of investigation. "That power is unfettered and it cannot be usurped," he added.
Meanwhile, representing Banerjee, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi contended that his client was giving a speech and had nothing to do with the matter and in the speech, he does not refer to any judge. Singhvi further argued that a direction is given that he should be investigated and said he will show the errors in the order.
The bench said it will post the matter after summer vacations and agreed to stay the cost. The top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing in the second week of July.
Earlier on May 22, Singhvi had submitted before the apex court that Banerjee was being called for questioning while campaigning outside the state and urged the court for an early listing of the matter. The bench agreed to examine the matter.
On May 18, the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha upheld the previous order by the bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the same court empowering the central agencies to question Banerjee.