CBI summons TMC MP, BJP leader in Narada sting case

On Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation sent a summon to Trinamool Congress MP Aparupa Poddar and Trinamool-turned-BJP leader Sovan Chatterjee in connection with the Narada sting footage case. Chatterjee has been summoned on August 31, TMC MP Poddar from Arambag has been asked to appear before the CBI agency on September 2, 2019.

Both Chatterjee and Poddar were featured in the Narada sting tape which surfaced online before the 2016 state assembly elections and went viral. In the video which had gone viral, a number of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders including MPs and Ministers were allegedly seen taking money on camera.

The sting operation was conducted by Samuel, who was the Editor and Managing Director of Narada news portal. According to a CBI official, the two leaders have been summoned by the agency for submitting their voice samples.

"The Supreme Court has ordered the CBI to collect voice samples of those accused in the Narada case. So they might have been summoned for submitting the same. All those whose voice samples are yet to be collected will be summoned by the agency," CBI Joint Director Pankaj Srivastava told IANS.

While reacting to being summoned by the investigation agency, Poddar said that she received the summon on Wednesday. The leader also affirmed that she will appear before the investigation agency after consulting her lawyers.

"I have received the CBI notice today. I will talk to my lawyer regarding the legality of the issue and appear before the agency," Poddar said. On the other hand, Trinamool-turned-BJP leader Sovan Chatterjee was unavailable for any comments on the issue.

With inputs from IANS

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