CBI arrests IPS officer in Narada tape case

KOLKATA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Indian Police Service officer SMH Mirza in connection with the 2016 Narada sting that purportedly showed him accepting cash from a man representing a fictitious company along with around a dozen leaders of West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC)

Mirza is the first of the 13 people, who have been named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered in the case, to be arrested. Mirza was suspended in 2017 when he was accused of allegedly abetting a police sub-inspector’s suicide. “The case is under investigation. I shall not say anything,” Mirza said after a local court sent him in the CBI custody until September 30.

The sting was aired about a fortnight before the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal. Mathew Samuel, the chief executive officer of Narada News portal, conducted the sting between 2014 and 2016.

Responding to Mirza’s arrest, TMC secretary general and education minister Partha Chatterjee said, “Each will face the consequence for his action.” He added it is not proper for him to comment on whoever is being arrested. “I have earlier said that since they could not deal with us [TMC] politically, agencies are being used against us. Let us see what happens.”

Samuel reacted to Mirza’s arrest saying it was “one of the happiest days” in his life. “I gave him [Mirza] ₹5 lakh. Each and everyone seen in those [sting] videos should be arrested. Those were aired in March 2016.”

BJP leader Rahul Sinha welcomed the arrest. “People will now eagerly look forward to who will be the next to be held.”