Kolkata: Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee moved a fresh petition in the Calcutta high court against the “nefarious” designs of central investigating agencies, even as his petition challenging the ED’s enforcement case information report (ECIR) was reserved for order.
Introducing himself as current CEO and former director of Leaps & Bounds Pvt Ltd, Abhishek in his petition drew the court’s attention to the searches and seizures at the firm on August 21 and 22 following Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s order on April 13, directing ED to investigate aspects of a public speech made by him. He alleged that ED, with “complete disregard and disdain to the aforesaid direction”, had been carrying on a “fishing and roving inquiry” in the teacher recruitment case. Abhishek had moved the Supreme Court in the matter, following which the SC granted him liberty to seek “protection and relief” from the HC. Accordingly, the petitioner had moved the court of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh.
Abhishek alleged that the investigating team “downloaded and introduced” 16 files to a Leaps &Bounds office computer system during searches, and the employees present “were not made privy to the illegal act”. He pointed out that the “predicate offence” was being investigated by CBI, and he feared the agency may cite the files while conducting searches in his office.
He said the Centre had “weaponised” investigating agencies to “destabilise and create impediments against the elected (Bengal) government”.