Kolkata, Jun 20 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Tuesday that the West Bengal law minister, Moloy Ghatak has skipped the summons from the central agency to appear at the latter's national headquarter in New Delhi for the purpose of interrogation relating to the multi-crore coal smuggling case in the state.

He was supposed to join the probe on Monday. Instead, sources said, the minister has informed the central agency sleuths through his counsel that he would not be able to visit the latter's New Delhi office because of his pre-occupations relating to the forthcoming panchayat elections in the state.

Sources also claimed that the ED sleuths have sent a notice to the minister following court instructions on this count. However, Ghatak has made a completely different statement to a section of the media persons here denying any knowledge of being summoned by the ED sleuths.

The ED had issued the notice to Ghatak on June 6 giving ample time of 13 days in between to prepare himself and appear at the agency's New Delhi office. ED sources said that previously Ghatak had been dodging notices either on the health grounds or stating reasons that he had been convened at a short notice. So this time, the notice was sent granting him a period of almost two weeks.

Prior to that, the ED had served a notice to Ghatak on March 21 for appearance at its New Delhi office on March 23. The minister skipped that appearance also.

In September last year, the ED sleuths conducted raid and search operations at a number of residences of Ghatak and his relatives both at Asansol in West Burdwan district as well as in Kolkata. The state law minister also faced marathon questioning at that point of time.

Since then ED issued formal summons to him a number of times to be present at the agency's New Delhi office several times. But he dodged the summons each time.