Financial irregularities case: CID summons Arjun Singh, BJP MP decries ‘vendetta politics’

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police has served a summons on BJP MP Arjun Singh, asking him to appear for questioning in Kolkata on May 25 in connection with an economic offence that he allegedly committed when he was a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA. Singh on Friday said the notice issued the night before was part of “vendetta politics”.

The summons to the Barrackpore MP came days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two state ministers, a TMC MLA and a former Kolkata mayor in connection with the alleged Narada bribery case.

On Thursday night, CID officials visited Singh’s residence in North 24 Parganas district’s Bhatpara area and put up the notice at the entrance to his house.

Sources said the CID action was based on an FIR registered last year based on a local TMC leader’s complaint about alleged financial irregularities in Bhatpara Municipality when Singh was its chairperson.

Hitting out at the TMC, the MP told reporters, “This is nothing new for us. In this case, I have got relief from the Supreme Court. This [CID notice] is being done at the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. I will speak to my lawyers. The case is already in Supreme Court. We respect the law and will take steps accordingly despite knowing that it’s a false case. This is nothing but vendetta politics. The state government in the past slapped several false cases against Opposition leaders and now is doing so against BJP workers and leaders.”