PMLA case: ED notice to Narada News CEO

THE ENFORCEMENT Directorate (ED) on Thursday summoned Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel in connection with a purported sting operation in which several Trinamool Congress leaders were allegedly seen accepting bribes. This is the first ever notice from the ED since it began a probe in the case.

“He has been asked to appear on May 18,” an official confirmed to The Indian Express.

The ED took up the probe last month and registered a case against 14 entities, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Samuel has also been asked to bring along or send his personal financial documents, those of the news channel and Income Tax Returns for the last three assessment years during deposition, PTI reported. Samuel is not an accused in the Enforcement Case Information Report and the ED wants to question him to get information about the sting, the news agency added.

Samuel has been quizzed by the CBI in this case earlier. CBI too is probing the case separately on charges of alleged corruption.

According to official sources, it is important to interrogate Samuel to know the “proceeds of the crime”, the fundings and how money was laundered by the accused who allegedly accepted the “bribe”.

The 13 people against whom the case has been registered are Madan Mitra, Mukul Roy, Saugata Roy, Sultan Ahmed, Iqbal Ahmed, Kakoli Ghosh Dastdar, Prasun Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari, Sovan Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Aparupa Poddar and IPS officer Syed Hussain Meerza.