Suvendu threatens to move court over coal scam allegations

West Bengal Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said he would initiate legal action against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asserting that the time given to her to respond to a defamation notice had expired without any reply. In a post on social media platform X, the BJP leader claimed that the Chief Minister’s silence had exposed what he described as the “imaginary” nature of the allegations linking him to the alleged coal smuggling scam.

Adhikari said Banerjee’s failure to respond within the stipulated period left him with no option but to proceed legally. “The time given to Mamata Banerjee via the defamation notice on my behalf has now expired. Her inability to reply makes it clear that the allegations levelled against me regarding the coal scam were entirely baseless,” Adhikari said, adding that he was prepared to face her in court. The LoP had sent a legal notice to the Chief Minister last Friday, seeking documentary evidence within 72 hours to substantiate her public claims that he was involved in the alleged coal smuggling case. He had warned that failure to furnish proof would compel him to initiate civil and criminal defamation proceedings.

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In earlier posts, Adhikari alleged that the accusations were made in a “desperate attempt to divert attention” from an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation. He described the remarks as politically motivated, defamatory and harmful to the dignity of public discourse. “These reckless and unsubstantiated statements were made publicly without any evidence. Such allegations not only damage my reputation but also lower the standards of public debate,” he had said.

The legal notice, issued through advocate Suryaneel Das, followed comments made by the Chief Minister at a public meeting, where she alleged that Union home minister Amit Shah and Suvendu Adhikari were involved in the coal smuggling case. Banerjee had further claimed that proceeds from the alleged scam were routed to Amit Shah through Adhikari. The Chief Minister made the remarks while addressing a gathering during protests against an ED raid at the I-PAC office in Kolkata.

In the notice, Adhikari termed Banerjee’s statements as “reckless, baseless and wholly unsubstantiated,” objecting to what he described as personal and distasteful remarks aimed at maligning his image as an elected public representative. The notice called upon the Chief Minister to produce all documents and material evidence supporting her claims within the stipulated time frame. With no response forthcoming, Adhikari said he would now move court to seek legal redress.