‘Could be linked to coal scam’: Ghosh demands probe against MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay

Ghosh also urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate a probe against Banerjee, claiming that he received a large amount of money when he was under judicial custody

Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh, who recently expressed his desire to resign from the post of party’s spokesperson and state general secretary, on Saturday demanded the arrest of party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh (File Photo)

Ghosh also urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate a probe against Bandyopadhyay in connection with the coal scam case, claiming that he received a large amount of money (from Bhubaneshwar Apollo) when he was under judicial custody.

“@dir_ed @CBIHeadquarters The bank accounts of Sudip Banerjee, MP and payments on behalf of him to Apollo, Bhubaneswar must be investigated. When he was in custody, whether a large amount paid to him or paid to hospital on behalf of him or not, that should be probed. If it is founded to be fact, then it may relate with coal scam and Banerjee should be arrested for further investigation. If agencies try to avoid this, I should move to Ld Court praying for investigation into this matter,” Ghosh wrote on his X handle on Saturday.

Bandyopadhyay refused to comment on the allegations.

A veteran TMC leader, Bandyopadhyay is the party’s MP from North Kolkata constituency and the leader of All Indian Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha.

Bandyopadhyay was arrested in January 2017 by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore Rose Valley chit-fund scam. He had to be hospitalized while in judicial custody and was granted bail by the Orissa high court in May 2017.

The CBI had registered a coal smuggling case in November 2020. It was alleged that the illegally mined coal, worth thousands of crores, was sold by a racket operating in the western parts of West Bengal, where the Eastern Coalfields Limited runs several mines and proceeds from the coal trade went to political leaders. The ED filed its first charge sheet at a special court in Delhi in August 2021.

The federal agencies have questioned Abhishek Banerjee, TMC National general secretary and nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, his wife and sister-in-law in the alleged coal levy scam.

Ghosh on Friday, while expressing discontent about giving next-generation leaders more prominence in the party, said he wants to resign from all posts. He also removed his designations in the TMC party from his social media handle. His X handle now mentions that he is a journalist and social activist.

“The party is in very efficient hands. I am a misfit and that’s why I don’t want to stay in the party posts. I am not engaging in any arguments with anybody. It was my duty to inform the party leadership. I have done that. Whatever I had to say I have told the party leadership. Beyond this I won’t say a word,” Ghosh said in a media interview on Friday.

“They are behaving as if TMC is a fiefdom of few leaders. In North Kolkata, it is BJP versus BJP as Sudip Bandopadhyay is hand-in-glove with the saffron camp,” Ghosh said.

Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha slammed the TMC saying that civil war has started within the party.

“This war is going on within the party across the state. It is just the beginning of the end. Gradually the flames will spread. The resignation of Ghosh is also related to the TMC MP. TMC will end like this only,” Sinha said.