Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday countered allegations made against his wife that claimed she was detained at the airport on being found carrying two kilograms of gold. She was travelling from Bangkok on March 16 and had allegedly been detained at the Netaji Subhas International Airport in Kolkata. There were reports and allegations that two kilograms of gold was found in her possession.
But Banerjee on Sunday said the allegations were politically motivated as he had filed a defamation suit against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah.
According to the Trinamool Congress MP, who is also nephew of the party chief Mamata Banerjee, his wife, Rujira, was born in Bangkok and has a Thai passport. She is also a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) card holder.
Banerjee’s wife had lodged a complaint against Customs officials a week ago, and a complaint was lodged by a custom official against the woman passenger and her companion and cops.
Abhishek Banerjee asked that if the alleged gold was found from them, why they were let off. “These are wild accusations,” he said. Banerjee added that CCTV footage should be checked at the time she was at the airport. He said that his wife was deliberately targeted. “Is it a crime to be the wife of Abhishek Banerjee?” he asked.
He said he would file criminal and defamation suits against those who were “spreading lies” about his wife. Abhishek Banerjee’s wife had filed a complaint alleging intimidation and demand of Rs 50,000 by certain Customs officials, failing which she and her companion were threatened with detention. But the Customs officials alleged that they were obstructed by local police, two passengers and other unknown persons.
The BJP and CPI(M) have demanded an inquiry into the episode, saying “the truth should come out”.
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