Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of misusing central agencies.

Couch Behar (WB):

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday challenged Income Tax officials to inspect helicopters used by BJP leaders during election campaigns, a day after the TMC claimed that Income Tax officials targeted helicopters used by BJP leaders Helicopters carried out a “raid”, sparking a brawl. Party leader Abhishek Banerjee.

Addressing a rally in Cooch Behar, Ms. Banerjee alleged that the BJP was misusing central agencies to fight the TMC ahead of the elections.

“The Income Tax officials conducted a raid before the trial run and searched Abhishek Banerjee’s helicopter but found nothing. Those IT officials claimed that we got information that there was money and gold in the helicopter but they found nothing. We are not into such activity. behavior.

“It is the BJP that is involved in such things. But do officials from central agencies dare to inspect the helicopter of a BJP leader?” she said.

The Trinamool Congress on Sunday said its general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s helicopter was raided by Income Tax officials of Kolkata’s Behala Flying Club and claimed it was part of a deliberate strategy by the BJP to Harassing and intimidating opposition candidates whom they have no political access to.

Amid the controversy over the TMC’s alleged ‘raid’, IT department sources said no law enforcement action like search or investigation was taken and TMC leaders were not even in the helicopter.

The TMC supremo also accused the BJP of abusing central institutions and not allowing “a level playing field for all political parties” in the elections.

“The BJP may use the NIA to arrest our leaders days before the first phase of elections so that they can campaign freely,” she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)