SC asks ED to withdraw notices against Abhishek, his wife

The Supreme Court directed the Enforcement Directorate to withdraw lookout circular against Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife, Rujira, who are being probed in a money laundering case arising out of a coal pilferage scam. The court, however, directed the couple to inform the agency and take its permission a week before flying out of India. The order was passed on an application filed by the two, seeking permission to go abroad for medical treatment, claiming they were being denied because of the circular. Observing that travelling abroad is a matter of right unless a person is going to abscond, the court sought explanation from ED on issuing the circular against them. Additional solicitor general SV Raju, appearing for ED, told the SC that the look-out notice was not coming in the way of the couple to go abroad as the agency allowed them to do so.