Mamata Banerjee tried to 'rescue something sensitive' by taking away files during ED raids: BJP

New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The BJP on Friday condemned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her conduct during the ED raids at a private consultancy firm in Kolkata and alleged that her actions showed she tried to "rescue something sensitive" implicating her and her party in the money laundering case linked to the alleged coal smuggling.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said Banerjee should be made an accused for intimidating Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials investigating the case and "snatching away" documents from them during the raids.

"There are a lot of suspicious circumstances surrounding the actions of Mamata Benerjee," the former Union minister said.

Prasad alleged that Banerjee, accompanied by state police officials, entered a private consultancy firm's premises where an investigation was underway, threatened the investigation officers of the ED and left "snatching away the papers".

"She knows the norms of governance while being a sitting chief minister for 14 years. She has also served as a Union minister in the past," he said.

"This means she was trying to rescue something sensitive implicating her and her party," he charged, asking, "What else could be inferred? What was her fear?" The ED on Thursday alleged that the chief minister entered the residence of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) director Pratik Jain in Kolkata during a raid in a money laundering case linked to alleged coal smuggling, and took away "key" evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices.

In a statement, the federal probe agency also accused the West Bengal chief minister of subsequently proceeding to the I-PAC office in Salt Lake, from where she, her aides and the state police "forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidence".

"We utterly condemn Mamata Banerjee's irresponsible conduct. Obstructing a probe and snatching away files are penal offences. Mamata is guilty of serious penal offences. She should be made an accused under serious criminal provisions for her prima facie conduct," Prasad said.

He alleged that Banerjee's conduct during the ED raids was "unethical, irresponsible and unconstitutional".

With her actions, she has put the entire democratic process and governance to "shame", Prasad said.

"What is Mamata Banerjee's connection with that consultancy firm? The firm works for many clients, but why is Mamata Banerjee the only one so anxious when investigations into scams are underway? What were the documents that made it necessary for her to flagrantly violate all rules and norms to intervene during the raid?" he asked.

The BJP leader alleged that it was the first time Banerjee had acted in such a manner.

"In the Saradha scam case, when DGP Rajeev Kumar was summoned by the CBI, Mamata Banerjee had staged a sit-in," he said.

Prasad alleged that Banerjee had also attempted to protect the main accused in the Sandeshkhali case and had "interfered" in the RG Kar Medical College gang rape case.

"Has Mamata Banerjee effectively taken a contract to ensure that no fair investigation is allowed in the state?" he asked.

West Bengal has become a "major hotspot" for coal smuggling with the involvement of "several" members of the ruling TMC, Prasad alleged.

Hitting out at Banerjee, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the chief minister took out a march in Kolkata on Friday against the ED probe into the money laundering case to "shield corruption and corrupts".

"What was her fear which forced her to take out a 'bhrastachari bachao (save the corrupt) march against the lawful search and seizure operation carried out by the ED on the premises of a private company? What kind of relationship is there between this private company and the TMC leaders?" he asked.

Banerjee came out on the streets in support of the private firm because "she knows that the TMC leaders' corruption will stand exposed if the files she took away are opened," Bhandari charged, asserting that people will give a befitting reply to the ruling TMC in the upcoming state assembly polls. PTI PK PK KSS KSS