The Enforcement Directorate on Friday registered a money-laundering case in connection with the Narada News’ sting operation, in which a number of Trinamool Congress leaders were caught taking bribes on camera. The agency lodged the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act based on an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation on April 17, PTI reported.
The CBI’s FIR had named 13 TMC leaders. They were Madan Mitra, Saugata Roy, Mukul Roy, Sultan Ahmed, Iqbal Ahmed, Kakoli Ghosh, Prasun Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari, Sovan Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Aparupa Poddar and serving IPS officer Syed Hussain Meerza.
On March 17, the Calcutta High Court had ordered the agency to look into the sting operation. The tapes, released to news organisations before the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal, had purportedly shown senior Trinamool leaders receiving money in exchange for favours. Party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had challenged the authenticity of the tapes and called the sting operation a “political” game.
Bharatiya Janata Party National President Amit Shah had raked up the Narada issue during his visit to West Bengal on Wednesday, rejecting Banerjee’s charge that the tapes were part of a political conspiracy to malign her. “There is no conspiracy. They [TMC leaders] were seen on TV taking money. The entire world can see it,” he had said. “Mamata Banerjee has developed a BJP phobia. She is seeing BJP in everything.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!