West Bengal Urban Development & Municipal Affairs Minister, and Kolkata Mayor, Firhad Hakim, on Saturday said he is scared of loss of prestige and social position “that is inevitable while one goes through the investigation process of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)”.
“ED investigation results in immense loss of social position and prestige and I am scared of that only,” Hakim said on Saturday while giving his explanation on why he made an appeal to Calcutta High Court to review its decision to include ED as a party in a public interest litigation regarding the assets and property details of 19 heavyweight leaders, including seven ministers, in Bengal.
On August 8, a division bench of Calcutta High Court directed the ED to be party in the PIL regarding the assets and property details of 19 heavyweight leaders, including seven ministers. On Friday, Hakim and two other ministers named in the PIL ~ forest minister, Jyotipriyo Mullick and cooperation department minister, Arup Roy ~ approached the court with a plea to reconsider the decision.
Hakim on Saturday said that his only concern is loss of social prestige and not the fear of being jailed. “I am not afraid of facing any kind of investigation. But you must remember that everyone has some social position and prestige. At the same time everyone is scared of loss of that social prestige.”