Narada sting: CBI summons two senior TMC lawmakers, ED quizzes one

According to sources, TMC Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has been asked to appear at CBI's office in south Kolkata's Nizam Palace  next Monday or Tuesday (Jul 17 or 18), while state Minister Subrata Mukherjee has been called  on Thursday (today) for interrogation.

A CBI official said that Mukherjee deputed his counsel in the morning to seek more time to appear for interrogation.

"Subrata Mukherjee's counsel told us that his client could not appear before us today for interrogation as he was busy in pre-scheduled works," a CBI official told IBNS. "Through his lawyer, cabinet minister Subrata Mukherjee shout more time from us and requested to set another date after July 21."

Meanwhile, neither CBI nor the media has received any reaction from MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar so far.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) grilled TMC MP from Uluberia Lok Sultan Ahmed and Kolkata deputy mayor and TMC MLA Iqbal Ahmed in connection with the same case on Thursday and Wednesday respectively, reports said.

Since March 14 last year, news portal- Narada News- released several sting operation footage, where TMC's leaders, ministers, MPs and MLAs were exposed while allegedly taking bribes.

From the beginning, TMC leaderships  claimed that the sting footage was doctored and conspiracy of oppositions.  

After getting direction from the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court, the CBI has started probe into the case.

Earlier on April 17, the investigation agency registered an FIR in connection with the case under several non-bailable sections against 12 influential leaders, cabinet ministers, MLAs and MPs of TMC and one senior IPS officer, who were seen taking bribes in the sting footage, reports said.

Besides CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has registered a money laundering case in Narada sting and it's currently investigating the case. 

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)