Narada case: Two TMC ministers among 4 arrested by CBI
Trinamool Congress leaders Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee have been arrested by the CBI in connection with the Narada scam. According to details available with India, Firhad and Subrata were brought to the CBI office in Kolkata todar morning. Besides, the central agency also picked up MLA Madan Mitra and former mayor Sovhan Chatterjee.
Sources told India TV that the agency has arrested the TMC leaders and they will be produced before a court later today. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has arrived at the CBI office in Kolkata where all the four leaders were taken by the CBI.
Notaby, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had earlier sanctioned CBI investigations against Firhad Hakim along with three others.
All the four were ministers in the previous TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee when the Narada bribery tapes were released in 2014.
The CBI in a statement said that RC 10/2017 was registered by ACB/Kolkata on April 16, 2017, as per directions of Calcutta High Court. The case is related to Sting Operation (commonly known as NARADA STING OPERATION) in which public servants were caught on camera while receiving illegal gratification from the Sting Operator. On completion of the investigation, prosecution sanction has been received from Governor on May 7, 2021, against the accused person.
The agency added that Hakim was seen to have agreed to accept bribe money of Rs 4 lakh. Subrata Mukherjee was seen to have accepted the illegal gratification of Rs 5 lakh. Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee were seen to have accepted the illegal gratification of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, respectively.
"Besides them, prosecution sanction has been received from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding SMH Meerza, IPS (SPS), the then SP for having seen to have received illegal gratification of Rs 5 lakh. He has already been arrested and is presently out on bail.
Firad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee have been arrested today by the CBI/ACB/Kolkata and are being produced in the court. Charge sheer against all the accused persons is being submitted today.
According to officials, a CBI team along with central forces reached Hakim's Chetla residence in the morning and took him to the agency's office.
"The CBI has arrested me in the Narada case. We will settle this matter in court," Hakim, the state's Transport and Housing Minister, claimed.
