Abhishek Banerjee Quizzed 11 Hours by ED in Bengal Teacher Scam Amidst TMC Crisis

Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary and Member of Parliament, Abhishek Banerjee, was subjected to a rigorous 11-hour interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, June 15, 2026, in Kolkata. The extensive questioning was part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the alleged primary school teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal. Banerjee, a prominent figure in the TMC and nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, arrived at the ED's CGO Complex office around 11 AM and departed late in the night, close to 10:15 PM, after the marathon session. The ED's probe focuses on tracing the alleged money trail and identifying beneficiaries of the recruitment irregularities. Investigators confronted Banerjee with various financial documents, digital records, and statements from other accused individuals to clarify financial transactions and scrutinize entities under suspicion. Notably, transactions linked to 'Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd,' a company where Banerjee previously served as a director, have also come under the ED's scanner. This grilling session was not an isolated event but followed a series of interrogations. Just a day prior, on Sunday, June 14, 2026, Banerjee had faced approximately eight-and-a-half hours of questioning by the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID). This separate inquiry pertained to an alleged forgery case involving the signatures of Trinamool Congress MLAs on documents related to the appointment of the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly. These back-to-back interrogations highlight the intensifying scrutiny from central and state investigating agencies on the TMC leader. The teacher recruitment scam first garnered national attention in July 2022, with the arrest of former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee. Raids conducted by the ED at that time led to the recovery of over Rs 50 crore in cash and gold jewelry worth Rs 4.5 crore. The ED alleges that proceeds of crime generated through illegal recruitment were funneled through multiple entities and layered transactions to conceal their origins. While the ED investigates the money laundering aspect, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a parallel probe into the criminal angle of the scam. Emerging from the ED office, a defiant Abhishek Banerjee addressed reporters, asserting his cooperation with the investigating agencies and vowing not to "cower down" or surrender, even if his "throat was slit." He attributed the repeated summonses to attempts by the central government to weaken and suppress opposition forces, taking a veiled jab at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Banerjee stated that he had appeared before agencies like the ED and CBI 10-12 times in the past, reaffirming his commitment to cooperate with future summonses. The timing of the ED questioning also coincided with a significant internal 'TMC crisis'. On the same day, June 15, 2026, the Speaker's office had called Abhishek Banerjee for a meeting to discuss a request from 20 rebel TMC MPs who had reportedly written a letter to Speaker Om Birla, seeking a merger with a lesser-known Tripura-based party, the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCPI). TMC MP Kirti Azad, who was contacted by the Speaker's office, informed them of Banerjee's unavailability due to the ongoing ED interrogation and requested a later date for the meeting, emphasizing Abhishek's intent to cooperate. This intricate interplay of legal investigations and political maneuvering underscores a turbulent period for the Trinamool Congress and its leadership. The political landscape in West Bengal has been marked by heightened tensions, with the TMC consistently alleging misuse of central agencies for political vendetta against its leaders. The multiple cases against Abhishek Banerjee, including the primary teacher recruitment scam and the earlier coal smuggling case, are seen by the party as part of a larger strategy to destabilize the state government and intimidate opposition voices. Banerjee's firm stance and readiness to face further questioning reflect the high stakes involved in these ongoing investigations and their potential impact on West Bengal's political future. The situation continues to evolve, with both legal proceedings and political confrontations expected to intensify.

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