West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim said he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday, but the premier agency maintained he was taken to its office for questioning in a corruption case.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Subrata Mukherjee and Madan Mitra, and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee, too, were brought to CBI’s Nizam Palace office in connection with the case that is over five years old.
Around 8am, a team of CBI officers reached Hakim’s house in South Kolkata’s Chetla. After 20 minutes of questioning, he was taken to Nizam Palace for investigation into the Narada sting operation that sent ripples across the political circles in 2016. Hakim denies any wrongdoing.
A large contingent of central forces was deployed in front of Hakim’s house, where TMC supporters shouted slogans against CBI and accused the agency of working under the command of the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“I was arrested by CBI in connection with the Narada sting operation case. I was arrested without any prior notice. I will challenge my arrest in court,” Hakim, West Bengal’s urban development and municipal affairs minister, said.
The sting operation was conducted by Narada news founder Mathew Samuel for over two years in West Bengal. Ahead of the 2016 assembly elections, Narada news released videos showing 13 TMC ministers and leaders accepting bribes in return of favours, or misusing official positions.
The development caused a major embarrassment for chief minister Mamata Banerjee, as it came at a time when the CM and her party were already under criticism for the Saradha chit fund scam.
As part of the operation, Samuel formed a fictitious company and approached several TMC ministers, asking them for favours in return for money.
Those who were seen in the Narada sting tapes are: Firhad Hakim, Mukul Roy (now with the BJP), Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sultan Ahmed, Subrata Mukherjee, Suvendu Adhikari (now with the BJP), Sovan Chatterjee (who joined the BJP and then quit), Aparupa Poddar, Madan Mitra, Iqbal Ahmed, Prasun Banerjee and HMS Mirza.
On March 17, 2017, the Calcutta high court ordered that a preliminary probe will be conducted by CBI. The court also directed CBI to register an FIR (first information report) against those who were involved in the case, if required.
On April 17, CBI filed charge sheet against the 13 leaders and other TMC functionaries. All of them were booked under Section 120 B of IPC (criminal conspiracy), Section 13 (2), 13 (1D) and Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act.
A few days ago, West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar accorded prosecution sanction to CBI against Hakim, Mitra and Mukherjee.
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