Abhishek Banerjee moves SC against HC imposing Rs 25 lakh costs

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday moved the Supreme Court against challenging a Calcutta High Court order which imposed costs of Rs 25 lakhs on him and allowed an ED and CBI probe against him in connection with the multi crore recruitment case in state-run schools of West Bengal.

Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Banerjee, mentioned the matter before a vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sanjay Karol.

Singhvi said Banerjee was being called for questioning while campaigning outside the state and urged the court for early listing of the matter.

The bench agreed to examine the matter on Friday.

On May 18, the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha upheld the previous order by the bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the same court empowering central agencies to question Banerjee in connection with th scam.

Justice Sinha also empowered CBI and ED to question accused in the case and expelled youth Trinamool Congress leader Kuntal Ghosh in connection with the latter's allegations accusing the central agencies of putting pressure on him to name Banerjee in the case.

Justice Sinha has imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakhs each on Banerjee and Ghosh.

A counsel involved in the matter, informed mediapersons that the penalty had been imposed because of wasting time.

Originally, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay empowered the central agencies for questioning Banerjee.

He then approached the Supreme Court in the matter.

Following the order of the Supreme Court two related cases in the matter were transferred to the bench of Justice Sinha. [IANS/NS]