Supreme Court Questions CBI and ED’s Investigation Speed in Abhishek Banerjee Case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court had strong words for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding their handling of the investigation into a company called ‘Leaps and Bounds.’ This company is reportedly connected to Abhishek Banerjee, a Member of Parliament and nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The court raised concerns about the agencies’ sluggish pace in probing allegations linked to a recruitment scam involving the State Selection Commission (SSC).
During a recent court session, solicitor general Tushar Mehta highlighted the urgency of the matter, particularly the need for custodial interrogation of Sumit Roy, Banerjee’s personal assistant. Roy is implicated in an illegal sale that involved public land being misrepresented as private property. Mehta pointed out that Roy had a significant role in transferring ₹30 crore from a party account to Leaps and Bounds.
The court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, expressed concerns over the investigation’s seriousness, stating, “The less said about Leaps and Bounds investigation, the better it is.” The judges also noted the frustration expressed by the Calcutta High Court over the slow progress made by the CBI and ED in this case.
Mehta defended the continued inquiry into the land scandal, questioning whether the state police should refrain from investigating simply because another agency had made mistakes. He argued that custodial interrogation of Roy was necessary as he seemed to be avoiding questions about large cash transfers.
On his part, Roy’s lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan mentioned that there was confusion during the last hearing regarding the accused’s right to silence, noting that Roy had in fact cooperated by answering questions during 11 days of interrogation.
The Supreme Court instructed the Bengal police to submit details regarding financial transactions by September 7. They emphasized that their goal was to ensure a fair and thorough investigation, particularly regarding the agencies’ willingness to pursue the case effectively.
