BJP rebuffs 'political conspiracy' allegation in Narada matter, says CBI probe must be welcomed

Rebuffing allegations of 'political conspiracy', the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the Narada sting operation matter must be welcomed.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said registering of a FIR by the CBI in the matter is a logical conclusion.

"The sting clearly showed the high and the mighty of the Trinamool Congress including the Lok Sabha, other forums, and important leaders collecting cash. This clearly comes under the Prevention of Corruption Act," he said.

Asserting that corruption by anyone, within or outside a political party has to be eliminated, the BJP leader further said that if the CBI is probing the matter, it should be welcomed.

Resonating similar sentiments, another BJP leader Rupa Ganguly said, "What will Mamata Banerjee do now? She will just indulge in mere sloganeering like she did during demonetisation. No one supported her at that time. This time also she will do the same. She has to anyhow prove that all the MPs are innocent and this entire thing is a conspiracy."

Ganguly further said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has tried a lot to end this Narada sting operation, but now the people have understood what she is and how she governs the state.

With trouble brewing for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as a FIR was filed against 13 of its leaders in the Narada sting case, Mamata yesterday alleged that a 'political game' is afoot.

"Name in FIR doesn't mean crime is proved. A political game is going on and the party will fight it politically," Mamata said.

The CBI yesterday registered a FIR against 13 persons in connection with the Narada sting operation case.

The FIR has been filed against Madan Mitra, Mukul Roy, Saugata Roy besides Sultan Ahmed, Iqbal Ahmed, Kakoli Ghosh, Prasun Banerjee, Shbhendhu Adhikari, Sovan Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Syed Hussain Meerza, Firhad Hakim and Apurva Poddar .

The decision comes a month after the Supreme Court extended the time given to the CBI for conducting a preliminary inquiry in the case.

The three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar said that the CBI investigation would go on to the accused persons in this case.

Kapil Sibal, one of the lawyer's for accused persons, pleaded to the top court for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or any other independent investigation but it was rejected by the apex court. The CBI had on March 20 registered a preliminary inquiry into the case.

As per sources, the CBI also seized laptop and spy cam used by the Narada News in their sting operation. The investigative agency also named West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, MPs, police officers and ex-MLA in its preliminary inquiry.

Reacting to the court's order, Mamata said that she will appeal against the court order in a "higher judiciary". Earlier in April 2016, the court had formed a three-member committee to probe the controversial tapes.

Narada News, led by its editor-in-chief Matthew Samuel, had earlier released three sets of videos of its sting operation, where top TMC leaders were allegedly seen accepting bribes from journalists posing as businessmen.

The ruling party had dismissed the allegation citing that the tapes are 'doctored'. The sting operation video was released by the portal on March 14, 2016, just ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

-ANI