Kolkata, Apr 16 (IANS): Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee threatened to take legal action against the Income Tax Department for obstructing the trial run of his helicopter.

"They could not recover a single penny from the chopper. I have no objections to the search operations. The Election Commission is within its authority to do that. But my objection is that even after nothing was recovered from the chopper, they were not allowing its trial run until further clearance from their higher authorities. Obstructing trial runs is beyond the authority of the Income Tax department. I will take legal action in the matter," Banerjee told media persons at the industrial township of Haldia in East Midnapore district on Monday.

Meanwhile, on Monday, three ECI-nominated officers reached the flying club where Banerjee’s chopper was stationed, stayed there for some time and then left. However, the officials refused to utter a single word to the media persons about the reasons behind their visit.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also critical of the event of search operations by Income Tax sleuths on the chopper. "IT sleuths checked his chopper thinking there was gold and cash. We do not move around with such things. BJP leaders do that. If we need anything, we will beg from our mothers," she said on Monday.