Anubrata moves HC against any CBI action

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress Birbhum president Anubrata Mandal has moved Calcutta High Court seeking an order to CBI against taking any coercive action against him after he came to SSKM Hospital here on Wednesday for a health check. “I have come here for a few tests,” Mandal said before leaving the hospital. His lawyers said the Trinamool leader was ready to cooperate with the investigating agency.The CBI sent notice to Mandal on January 28 asking him to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged murder of Gaurav Sarkar, a BJP worker in Birbhum’s Ilambazar, though the leader was not named in the FIR. The central agency probing post-poll murder cases had arrested local Trinamool leader

Ravi Baske

as part of its investigation.Mandal moved the HC a day after Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s close aide got a reprieve from the court that directed CBI not to arrest him. The court also asked Sumit Roy to cooperate with the agency. On Wednesday, CBI questioned

Roy

for about six hours.The HC, while giving immunity to Roy from arrest, observed that the petitioner had “practically complied with the impugned notice”. The CBI sent the notice to Roy on January 25 asking him to appear before investigating authorities on February 1 at 11am. Roy’s lawyers challenged the CBI notice and claimed the summons was issued without jurisdiction and that Roy was not named in the FIR related to the coal mining probe.Chief minister Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on the BJP-led Centre for “engaging CBI and ED against Trinamool leaders” ahead of civic polls. “Anubrata is not keeping well. The CBI sent notice to him ahead of Birbhum civic polls. The agency is also questioning Abhishek Banerjee’s close aide when he is busy campaigning for Goa polls. The agency didn’t even spare Abhishek’s friends and associates,” she said.