Kolkata: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday questioned the timing and intent of the CBI summons to the party’s Canning (East) MLA Saukat Mollah. The MLA, tasked by the party to oversee the polls in Bhangar, received a summons on Tuesday asking him to visit the CBI office on Wednesday. Jadavpur (of which Bhangar is a part) and Joynagar (of which Canning East is a part) go to polls on June 1.
Mollah, who was part of the CM’s campaigns in South 24 Parganas on Wednesday, has written to the CBI that he would be able to appear for questioning only after June 4, said sources .The agency is yet to respond. The summons, allegedly, is connected to the illegal coal mining case. He was once questioned before.
Banerjee, with Mollah beside her at a rally in Baruipur, said, “Saukat has received a notice from the CBI at midnight, telling him to appear before them the next day. Is this some kind of feudal lordship? Will he conduct elections now or go to meetings? BJP has continuously carried out dirty politics, conspiracies and misuse of central agencies for the past two months. We had to fight all of this to continue our political campaign. BJP doesn’t understand that they won’t remain in power. The use of force – of any kind – is not acceptable in a democracy.”