Kolkata: Senior journalist Mathew Samuel who had conducted the Narada sting operation, expressed his satisfaction Monday at the development regarding the case. Mathew Samuel however, expressed surprise as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not arrest Suvendu Adhikari. He was minister in the TMC government when the sting operation took place. However he switched allegiance to the BJP earlier this year.
The CBI arrested Monday four persons including two TMC ministers in connection with the Narada sting operation case. However, all four got bail later in the day.
Senior ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim and former ministers Madan Mitra, who is now an MLA was arrested. Along with them another former TMC minister Sovan Chatterjee was also arrested Monday morning.
Samuel said that steps against corruption are needed and investigations should be fair.
“It’s quite satisfying to see these leaders arrested. The CBI could not do anything even if it had the chargesheet ready three years ago. It could not touch them, Samuel said. “But I feel bad that Suvendu Adhikari’s name is not there on the list of those arrested,” Samuel added.
It was pointed out that the CBI also did not take any step against former TMC MP and now BJP MLA Mukul Roy. He is another accused in the same case. Samuel said that Roy’s is a different matter as there is no video evidence against him.
The sting operation was conducted by Samuel of Narada News, a web portal, in 2014. Some people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of favours.
At that time, all the four arrested were ministers in the Mamata Banerjee-led government which also had initiated a probe against Samuel.