![Supreme Court Refuses to Interfere with Probe Order on Abhishek Banerjee in WB School Recruitment Case [Read Order]](/secure/uploads/2023/05/lj_2831_c4ff9946-c82f-46e3-bdb7-7bd2a19c0245.jpg)
NEW DELHI: In a setback to Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, the Supreme Court on Friday declined to interfere with an order by the Calcutta High Court allowing the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to quiz him for his alleged role in the multi crore recruitment scam in West Bengal schools.
A vacation bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and P S Narasimha said the order passed by the High Court is fair and balanced.
The court, however, stayed Rs 25 lakh cost imposed upon him.
Senior advocates A M Singhvi appeared for Banerjee and Kapil Sibal for the West Bengal government.
The bench said it would consider the issue after vacations.
"List the matter in the week commencing 10.07.2023. Until the next date of hearing, imposition of the costs under the impugned order shall remain stayed," the bench said in its brief order.
The Calcutta High Courts single- judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha on May 18 concurred with a previous order by a bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, allowing the central agencies to question Banerjee in connection with the case.
Justice Sinha also imposed Rs 25 lakh cost on Banerjee.
Justice Sinha was assigned the case after the Supreme Court asked the HC's chief justice to reassign the case to a separate bench as Banerjee objected to TV interview of Gangopadhyay in the matter.
Abhishek Banerjee is nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and is seen as hair apparent to the ruling party.
One accused Kuntal Ghosh arrested in the primary teachers recruitment scam had made a complaint with the local police against the ED and the CBI officers.
The High Court's previous bench, however, had noted a statement by Banerjee if central agencies pressurised any of the arrested accused to name him, a complaint should be lodged with the state police.
