In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed appeals filed by TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife, Rujira Banerjee, challenging the Enforcement Directorate’s summons linked to the high-profile coal scam case. The couple, based in Kolkata, had contested the summons on the grounds that they required their presence in New Delhi, far from their place of residence.
The case involves accusations of coal theft and illegal excavation in the areas under Eastern Coalfields Ltd. Banerjee’s legal team argued that, since the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) does not specify procedural guidelines for such summons, the rules outlined in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) should apply. As such, they claimed that they should only be summoned in Kolkata, where the alleged offence occurred.
However, the Supreme Court, through a bench led by Justices Bela Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, disagreed with this argument, asserting that the PMLA takes precedence over CrPC in such matters. The judgment had been reserved since August 13.
Representing the Banerjees were senior legal luminaries, including Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, while the Enforcement Directorate’s case was presented by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju.
