Abhishek Banerjee got a stay from Supreme Court on fine of 25 lakhs, ED CBI inquiry remains ongoing

• The Supreme Court has stayed the Rs 25 lakh fine imposed on Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress national general secretary and MP, in the Bengal teachers' recruitment scam case
• The Supreme Court refused to stay the CBI inquiry into the letter of arrested TMC leader Kuntal Ghosh and stated that the CBI can interrogate Abhishek Banerjee if necessary
• The next hearing in the CBI inquiry case against Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled for July 10

The Supreme Court has stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Trinamool Congress national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in the Bengal teachers' recruitment scam case, but stayed the CBI inquiry into the letter of arrested TMC leader Kuntal Ghosh.

The Supreme Court said during the hearing on Friday that the CBI can interrogate Abhishek Banerjee if needed in the Kuntal Ghosh Patra case. The appex Court upheld the decision of the Calcutta High Court in this matter and no security was provided to Abhishek Banerjee. However, a stay order has been given on the order of fine of Rs 25 lakh.

The next hearing in the CBI inquiry case against Abhishek Banerjee is on July 10, that is, during this time CBI can again send notice to Abhishek. The central agency had interrogated the Trinamool All India General Secretary for 9 hours 40 minutes last Saturday.

Supreme Court stayed the order of fine of Rs 25 lakh

Before going to Nizam Palace on Saturday, Abhishek Banerjee wrote to the CBI that he has filed a petition in the Supreme Court. Trinamool leader's lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in a bench of Justice Anirudh Basu and Justice Sanjay Karol, 'My client should be given security.' He expressed apprehension of arrest.

However, the Supreme Court did not hear Abhishek Banerjee's case on that day on the basis of urgency. Although the Calcutta High Court ordered the Trinamool All India General Secretary to pay a fine of Rs 25 lakh, the Supreme Court stayed the order.

CBI interrogation of Abhishek Banerjee will continue

In the Supreme Court on Friday, the vacation bench of JK Maheshwari and PS Narasimha said that the court will not interfere in the rest of the investigation. On the other hand, the state approached the Supreme Court seeking filing of a fresh case in the case of Abhishek Banerjee. State's advocate Kapil Sibal sought permission to file the case. The Supreme Court gave permission. The matter is likely to come up for hearing after the summer vacation.

Kuntal, the expelled Trinamool youth leader caught in the recruitment scam, had alleged that the two central investigative agencies, the ED and the CBI, were pressurizing him to name Abhishek Banerjee. After that, Judge Abhijit Ganguly had given permission for CBI inquiry in this matter. Abhishek Banerjee had approached the Supreme Court against him.