Trinamool leaders who have allegedly taken cash in the Narada sting tapes were six members of parliament, four state ministers and an MLA.
Kolkata: In West Bengal cadre serving IPS officers were arrested in Kolkata today by the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI in the Narada sting operation case that hit headlines in March 2016 and showed persons resembling the officer and most of a dozen elected lawmakers of Trinamool Congress accepting cash from the journalist posing as a businessman totalling Rs.55.
SMH Mirza was serving as superintendent of police of Burdwan district in 2014 when the sting operation was conducted, has been sent to CBI custody till 30th September.
Mirza’s arrest has sent ripples across political parties. Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee said, “I have said this before. All this is the result of failing to combat political leaders and using the agencies. What is to happen will happen. I don’t know much about this arrest. I have nothing to say.”
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Many people should have been arrested already in this case. At least the process has now started said, Rahul SinhaBJP leader said. Trinamool leaders who have allegedly taken cash in the sting tapes were six members of parliament, four state ministers and an MLA. The six parliamentarians seen taking clash include Sougata Roy, Suvendu Adhikari, Prasun Banerjee, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Aparupa Poddar. Sultan Ahmed has died.
A seventh MP seen on the tape is Mukul Roy, who has joined BJP. He did not take cash when offered by Mr Samuel and said it should be deposited in his office. TMC’s four leaders were named as accused in the CBI FIR filed on April 16, 2017, after nearly a month-long preliminary inquiry on the orders of Calcutta High Court.
The CBI has alleged that the sting operation shows Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh and Suvendu Adhikari accepting Rs 5 lakh each from the person, posing as the representative while Prasun Banerjee could be seen receiving Rs 4 lakh for helping in a business venture.
The sting operation was conducted in 2014 and tapes were made public on March 2016, just ahead of Assembly elections in Bengal.
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