The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered Rujira Narula, the wife of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, to appear before the customs authority on April 8, in accordance with its summons. Narula was held at Kolkata airport for carrying excess gold from Bangkok without a declaration on May 16.

However, the High Court also directed that the customs authority cannot take any coercive step against Narula, PTI reported. The court was hearing a plea filed by Narula claiming that the summons issued by the central government authority was illegal.

Representing Narula, advocate SN Mookerjee claimed that the customs authority has no right to issue such summons as the Customs Department has not yet framed any issue for summoning her. Mookerjee claimed the notice for summons was “bad in law”.

On the other hand, Additional Advocate General Abhratosh Majumdar, appearing for the West Bengal Police, argued that the force has already begun proceedings in the matter. He alleged that the law does not allow the customs authority to initiate another proceedings.

Ravi Prakash, standing counsel for the Centre, represented the customs authority in court. He said that the authority did not consider Narula as an accused, but had summoned her because of discrepancies in information she had declared.

The court asked the customs authority to to file an affidavit on Narula’s claims within three weeks. It added that Narula could reply to the affidavit within a week after it was filed. The bench then adjourned the hearing and said it would be held next in May.

Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had denied last month that his wife was caught at Kolkata airport carrying gold in her check-in baggage. The MP from Diamond Harbour claimed the complaint against his wife filed by customs officials was “highly politically motivated”.

On the other hand, the airport customs had filed a complaint against the West Bengal Police for allegedly intervening when Narula was held. On March 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Narula a notice for concealing that she is a citizen of Thailand.