EC seeks report on Kolkata airport incident

Kolkata, March 25 (IANS) The Election Commission has sought a report from the North 24 Parganas district election officer in the controversy surrounding Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Naroola allegedly trying to stonewall Customs officials from checking her baggage at the Kolkata airport last week, an official said here on Monday."We have sought a factual report from the district election officer of North 24 Parganas in the matter," Additional Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal Sanjay Basu said.Banerjee has described as "baseless" allegations that his wife was caught at the Kolkata airport carrying gold in her check-in baggage.On Banerjee's comment that "fake news" about the incident was released on online portals and some Opposition leaders tweeted about it, Basu said, "Our social media team is also looking into the issue."The police and Income Tax officials have so far seized about Rs 6.42 crore unaccounted money and confiscated 4.4 lakh litres of liquor, he added.
--IANS bdc/ssp/rtp/pcj