West Bengal's political landscape has been jolted by a serious legal escalation after Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari sent a formal legal notice to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The notice demands concrete proof for her explosive allegations that linked him and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the proceeds of a coal smuggling scandal.
The Ultimatum and Defamation Threat
Adhikari, through his lawyer Suryaneel Das, has given the Chief Minister a 72-hour ultimatum to substantiate her claims. The notice categorically states that Banerjee made "reckless, baseless and wholly unsubstantiated allegations" against him. It warns that in the absence of any evidence, Adhikari will initiate both civil and criminal defamation proceedings against her.
Taking to social media platform X, the Nandigram MLA elaborated on his stance. He accused the Chief Minister of a "calculated and sinister design" to divert public attention from issues concerning her administration. Adhikari specifically referenced an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation, suggesting Banerjee's remarks were a desperate ploy to shift the narrative.
Banerjee's Explosive Allegation
The controversy stems from statements made by Mamata Banerjee on Friday. In a public address, she directly implicated the top BJP leadership in the coal smuggling case. "They (BJP members) talk about coal money. Who enjoys it? Amit Shah does. The money is given through a traitor. Jagannath is also involved. Through Jagannath, the money goes to Suvendu, and then that money goes to Shah," the Chief Minister had alleged.
Her reference to 'Jagannath' points to Bengal BJP vice-president Jagannath Chattopadhyay. Interestingly, Chattopadhyay himself has claimed possession of a diary belonging to Anup Majee, also known as Lala, a key figure in the alleged scam. He has stated that the diary details how a businessman named Ganesh used to deliver "ill-gotten money" to specific recipients in Kolkata. Chattopadhyay has further asserted he holds interrogation reports of witnesses and is prepared to make them public.
A Political Firestorm Erupts
Adhikari has vehemently denied any involvement, calling the allegations a bundle of lies made without a shred of evidence. His legal notice frames Banerjee's comments as not just politically motivated but also personally insulting. This move signals a sharp intensification of the war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP in the state into a potential courtroom battle.
The development puts immense pressure on the Chief Minister's office to either present the evidence she alluded to or face a protracted legal fight. The 72-hour clock is now ticking, and the political atmosphere in Kolkata and across West Bengal remains charged, with all eyes on the next move from the state secretariat.
