Kolkata, Jun 23 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has again summoned West Bengal Law Minister Malay Ghatak to be present at the agency's headquarters in New Delhi on June 26 for questioning in the multi-crore coal smuggling case.

On June 19, the Minister was summoned to the ED's Delhi office but he did not appear and informed the probe agency through his counsel that he had other engagements in view of the upcoming panchayat polls in Bengal.

According to sources, the ED had issued a notice to Ghatak on June 6, giving him enough time of 13 days in between to prepare himself and appear at the agency's New Delhi office.

The Minister had dodged the notice either on health grounds or saying that he had been convened at a short notice.

Prior to that, the ED had served another notice to Ghatak on March 21 to appear at its New Delhi office on March 23.

The Minister however, skipped that summon also.

In September last year, the ED sleuths conducted raid and search operations at a number of residences of Ghatak and his relatives at Asansol in West Burdwan district as well as in Kolkata.

The state Law Minister had faced marathon questioning at the time.