The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a notice to “Ms Rujira Naroola ”, wife of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, pointing out “discrepancies” in her PIO (person of Indian origin) card and marriage certificate. The MHA notice, sent issued on 29 March through foreigners division of the ministry, also sought clarifications from Ms Rujira Naroola within 15 days after the date of issue and threatened to take appropriate action if she failed to respond.

The notice comes in the wake of a controversy involving Mr Banerjee’s wife at the NSCBI airport. Mr Banerjee couldn’t be contacted despite several attempts made to reach him for his response. However, his secretary Sumit Roy said he would check it with Mr Banerjee.

When asked, Trinamool secretary general and West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said: “I won’t comment anything on somebody’s personal issue. I have heard and they (Mr Banerjee) may be aware of it.”

According to the notice, “Ms Rujira Naroola, a Thai national, had been issued PIO card No P234979 by Indian Embassy in Bangkok on 8 January, 2010 mentioning Mr Niphon Naroola as father in the card.  She applied for conversion of her PIO card into OCI (overseas citizenship of India) card in the office of FRRO, Kolkata and issued the OCI card No. A2B79448 on 8 November, 2017. One of the supporting documents submitted by Ms Rujira Naroola to get her PIO card converted into OCI card was the certificate of her marriage with Abhishek Banerjee which was issued on 13 February, 2013 wherein she mentioned Mr Gursharan Singh Ahujae as her father.”

“The central government has been further informed that on 14 November, 2019 Ms Rujira Naroola applied for PAN card by filing Form 49A without intimating her real status as a Thai national holding OCI card and mentioning Mr Gursharan Singh Ahuja as her father. She was actually required to fill Form 49AA to get a PAN by declaring herself as a foreigner holding an OCI card. On the basis of information given in her application Form 49A, she has obtained the PAN card bearing No. AJNPN2286R under the name Ms Rujira Naroola in the capacity of an Indian citizen,” the notice further claimed.

“The Central Government has examined the matter and noticed the discrepancies mentioned above and is prima facie of the opinion that registration of Ms Rujira Naroola as an OCI card holder is liable for cancellation in the interest of general public Sub Clauses (a) & (e) of Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955,” according to the MHA notice.

“Ms Rujira Naroola, an OCI Cardholder, is hereby called upon to show cause as to why she has made false representation and concealed material facts while submitting documents before the Competent Authorities to get her OCI and PAN cards,” it observed.