CBI quizzes TMC MLA in coal pilferage scam

Kolkata: The CBI on Wednesday quizzed Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Molla for more than eight hours in connection with its probe into alleged coal theft from the mines of the Eastern Coalfields Ltd in West Bengal, officials said.

Molla, the Canning Purba MLA, appeared before the CBI sleuths in the morning and was "questioned in three shifts during his stay" at the central agency's office here, they said.

"He was asked about the coal theft scam and his meeting with influential people at his office where a few monetary deals were finalised," the CBI official said soon after the interrogation was completed on Wednesday night.

He said that the TMC MLA also submitted documents related to his



passport as well as investments and earnings to the CBI officers, which were sought from him.

"I have cooperated with the CBI sleuths today. But I believe that the BJP is playing this dirty game because they are unable to accept the fact that they have lost the assembly elections in Bengal. By doing this, they will not be able to stop us," Mollah said after the questioning.

He had sought time from the CBI officers after they had summoned him in the last week of May.

Incidentally, a CBI team had on Tuesday interrogated TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife at their residence in the city in connection with the alleged coal pilferage scam.