Supreme Court Dismisses TMC Leader Abhishek Banerjee’s Plea in Money Laundering Case

New Delhi, India – The Supreme Court of India has dismissed the plea of TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and his wife, Rujira, challenging the Directorate of Enforcement’s (ED) summons in a money laundering case related to alleged recruitment irregularities in West Bengal schools.

Supreme Court’s Decision

A bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma stated that the appeals were devoid of merit and dismissed them. The court noted that the Directorate of Enforcement’s offices across India are set up to ensure effective investigation of money laundering offenses.

The court also mentioned that the Headquarters Investigation Unit (HIU) of the ED is not restricted to any territorial jurisdiction, and the current case was recorded at the HIU. Therefore, the summons issued by the ED to the appellants to appear in Delhi was deemed legal.

Details of the Case

The court highlighted that Abhishek Banerjee, being a Member of Parliament, has an official residence in Delhi. The court found no substance in the challenge made by the appellants to the summons issued under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court also observed that Rujira Banerjee had not appeared or produced the required documents as per the summons dated August 4, 2021, and August 18, 2021. Consequently, the ED filed a complaint against her in the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in New Delhi.

Ongoing Investigations

The TMC leader is being questioned by the ED in various money laundering cases, including alleged recruitment irregularities in West Bengal schools. The ED has alleged that jobs in state-run schools were offered for monetary gains.

A few months ago, the Calcutta High Court declared the entire panel of the 2016 School Service Commission’s teachers’ recruitment null and void, canceling all appointments of teachers and non-teaching staff. The West Bengal government challenged this decision in the Supreme Court, and the matter is still pending.

The West Bengal government argued that the Calcutta High Court’s decision affects nearly 23,123 teaching and non-teaching staff in the state and could lead to a significant vacuum in state schools.

Legal Representation

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Abhishek Banerjee, while Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented Rujira Banerjee. Advocate Zoheb Hossain argued for the ED and opposed the plea by Abhishek and his wife.

Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes the final decisions on important legal matters.

TMC -: TMC stands for Trinamool Congress, a political party in India, mainly active in the state of West Bengal.

Abhishek Banerjee -: Abhishek Banerjee is a leader of the TMC party and the nephew of Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Money Laundering -: Money laundering is the illegal process of making large amounts of money generated by a criminal activity appear to be earned legally.

Directorate of Enforcement (ED) -: The Directorate of Enforcement is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering.

Summons -: A summons is an official order to appear in court or before a legal authority.

Jurisdiction -: Jurisdiction means the official power to make legal decisions and judgments.

Recruitment Irregularities -: Recruitment irregularities refer to unfair or illegal practices in hiring people for jobs.

Calcutta High Court -: The Calcutta High Court is a high court in the state of West Bengal, which makes important legal decisions for the state.