KOLKATA: In connection with a coal smuggling case in West Bengal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Molla.

Mollah is the party's sitting MLA in the South 24 Parganas district's Canning (East) Assembly constituency. He has been called to appear at the CBI's Kolkata headquarters on Friday.

According to CBI sources, despite the fact that the Asansol coalfield in West Burdwan district was once the epicentre of smuggling operations, investigators have recently found other places where unlawfully smuggled coal was delivered to various parts of the state.

Several brick kilns are now located in the Jeebantala district of Canning (East), which is part of Molla's constituency. These kilns require a large volume of coal at low prices to run successfully. We came uncovered a number of similar brick kilns in Canning (East) that were receiving frequent shipments of illegal coal. "Our investigators have reason to believe that the local MLA served as a middleman in this supply, thus he has been summoned for questioning on Friday," a CBI official said on condition of anonymity.

Molla, on the other hand, has denied any involvement, claiming, "This is a blatant political plot to frame me." The MLA further stated that he had not yet made up his mind about appearing before the CBI on Friday. 

ED arrests 1 person from Haryana in 195 cr PMLA case

Enforcement Dir files charge sheet against K'tka Cong chief Shivakumar

ED questions ex- JMM leader in connection with Pooja Singhal case