West Bengal Coal Scam: ED moves Delhi High Court against summons by West Bengal against its officers

A plea has been filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) before the Delhi High Court alleging that Trinamool Congress MP, Abhishek Banerjee is trying to derail the investigation into his alleged involvement in the West Bengal coal mining case (Enforcement Directorate v State of West Bengal).The plea stated that an FIR was registered by the CBI, against officials of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Railway and unknown private persons in relation the scam.The FIR was registered for offences of criminal conspiracy and breach of trust under Indian Penal Code and criminal misconduct by a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988..As per the FIR, illegal excavation and theft of coal was being carried out by criminal elements from the leasehold area of ECL in active connivance of officials of ECL, CISF, Indian Railway and other departments. Businessman Anuj Majee @ Lala was one of the main organisers for most of illegal mining at ECL area and transportation of illegal excavated coal.It further alleged that Majee was carrying out the illegal activities with the help of public servants..The Income Tax Department had also seized some incriminating documents during the search and seizure conducted by them at the premises of Majee and his associates..ED analysed evidence sent by the Income Tax Department including chats between West Bengal police officer Ashok Kumar Mishra and Majee's accountant, Neeraj Singh.This allegedly revealed involvement of Banerjee in the matter..On the basis of evidence collected by the ED, summons was issued to Abhishek Banerjee. It was submitted that he did not cooperate initially but after several summons he appeared before the ED. .ED has submitted that Banerjee, subsequently, filed a false FIR against ED investigating officers (IOs) and against a news channel on April 5, 2021 in order to derail their investigation in illegal Coal Mining case. Notice were then issued to the IOs investigating the matter.The investigating agency lodged its objections with West Bengal Police through letter dated July 28, 2021 for disrupting its investigation by pressurizing the ED officers, but the police again issued them notice through e-mail.This prompted the present plea before the Delhi High Court.