CBI PROBE INTO NARADA STING
KOLKATA: Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered the CBI to conduct a preliminary probe into the Narada sting operation. Reacting to the order, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said her government will challenge it before the Supreme Court.
The ruling Trinamool Congress on Friday suffered a jolt after a division bench of the Calcutta High Court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary probe into the Narada News sting operation case in which eleven ruling Trinamool Congress leaders including ministers and member Parliament and a senior police official were seen accepting bribe from a fictitious company set by the media house.
The bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty directed the CBI to take possession of all materials and devices related to the Narada sting operation within 24 hours and conduct the preliminary inquiry within another 72 hours.
The bench also asked the CBI to inform them about the progress of the investigation within the same time - 72 hours. Reacting to the order of the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP for conducting the sting operation. “Everyone knows that this sting operation was arranged from BJP office,” she told in a media conference after the court gave the order.
Mamata Banerjee said that despite the allegation against her three ministers, the people have voted in favour of them. She said in a democracy the mandate of the people was final.
She said “I will not comment on it. But my party will approach the apex court. We are taking this matter legally and politically”
Mamata Banerjee said that the BJP state president had ‘predicted’ that a CBI inquiry would be ordered.
The senior Trinamool Congress leaders including the chief minister had alleged that it was a conspiracy of the BJP against the ruling party to release the video by the portal on March 14 last year ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections to malign Trinamool Congress.
The division bench observed that conduct of public figures must be beyond reproach. The bench asked the state government to suspend senior police officer S M Mirza, the then superintendent of police Burdwan who was also seen accepting bribe within 24 hours. The court directed the state administration to start a departmental inquiry against Mirza.
The court observed that the video footage was not tampered Left Front on Friday organised a rally in the city demanding removal of the ministers who were allegedly involved in the incident.