| |
|---|
Debjit Mukherjee, Kolkata: Abhishek Banerjee entered the ED’s office today at morning and left at 8:50 pm on Wednesday. Facing the media, he said, “Earlier I said the interrogation extract was zero, today I am saying minus 2. It’s just a waste of time. I don’t blame those who are working in the ED office. They are doing their duty.”
Without taking names, Abhishek directly targeted the BJP and the Center. He said, “Many times, ED has to do many things against their will to please the political masters. I don’t blame any of their workers. I said the same thing even when I went to the CBI office. I am still saying it today. Extract of nine-nine-and-a-half hour interrogation minus 2. If summoned again, it will be minus 4.”
Abhishek said that he answered all the questions of ED. He has also said that he will come again if needed in the future. He said that there is no objection to 24-hour interrogation if necessary, not nine or nine-and-a-half hours. Abhishek said, 14 months have passed since the arrest of Partha Chatterjee. In the Sarada case, from 2014 to 2023, the trial did not start for nine and a half years. Those who had sold their spines in Narada case and moved elsewhere were not even summoned. Abhishek asked how many people got their money back in Sarada. Abhishek commented that if this is the role of the central agency, then there are questions about their competence.
Abhishek questioned why those who are seen taking money in front of the camera, on the TV screen, are not called, why the High Court never says so. Challenging the ED, Abhishek said that the investigating officers should submit his statement to the court. His reasoning is that he has been saying the same thing since the first day. It has become a custom of ED-CBI to call every two to four months. Its essence is zero. Abhishek also commented that ED-CBI cannot show such a precedent that the guilty have been punished or anyone has received justice.
