TMC's Supti Pandey says Abhishek Banerjee probe not 'vendetta politics'

TMC's Supti Pandey said Abhishek Banerjee is cooperating with the ED probe and it's not 'vendetta politics'. Her comments come as 20 rebel TMC MPs defected and Banerjee's aide faces an arrest warrant in the teachers' recruitment scam case.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Supti Pandey on Monday said party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is fully cooperating with investigators, while maintaining that the ongoing questioning is not a case of political vendetta.

Pandey made the remarks on Monday upon her arrival at the residence of TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee, where she also addressed the shifting political landscape involving dissident party lawmakers. When questioned about the recent rounds of interrogation involving Abhishek Banerjee by investigators, Pandey told reporters, "Interrogation is ongoing. Abhishek has been cooperating since the very beginning."

Significantly deviating from the party's usual stance of accusing the central government of weaponising federal probe bodies, Pandey dismissed suggestions of political malice when specifically asked if she viewed the developments as vendetta politics. "No, I don't think so," she said. "It all develops time to time and Abhishek knows everything about the party and everything, so whatever they (investigators) are interrogating it is regarding the queries they have in their mind and Abhishek is accountable to give those answers and he is giving so," she added.

The remarks come amid massive internal turbulence for the ruling party in West Bengal, following a major political development where 20 rebel TMC Members of Parliament formally chose to merge their faction with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). Commenting on the mass defection that has shaken the party's parliamentary ranks, the TMC leader stated that the lawmakers acted on their own assessment. "It is their decision. All are senior MPs, some are new. But whatever decision they have taken based on their thinking, that is up to them," Pandey added.

Meanwhile, A court in West Medinipur district has reportedly issued an arrest warrant against Sumit Roy, personal assistant to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, said police sources.

Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday reached the office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the alleged multi-crore Primary Teachers Recruitment scam in West Bengal. (ANI)