Cong, CPM hail SC's decision on Narada sting operation case

Hailing the Supreme Court's decision of asking the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to continue its probe into the Narada sting operation case, the Congress Party on Wednesday said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must ask her scam-tainted leaders to resign from their respective posts.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told ANI that the decision of the apex court was well expected because already the Chief Justice of High Court had snubbed the plea made by the state government of West Bengal in Kolkata.

"Today, again the Supreme Court has not only snubbed but also lambasted the plea of the state government who are exhausting the resources of the state and public money only to save their tainted and corrupted leaders. So, I must appreciate the verdict of the Supreme Court of India. If a modicum of morality is left to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, she should ask all the scam-tainted leaders of her party to resign from their respective posts," he added.

Resonating similar sentiments, CPM leader Mohammed Salim told ANI that the West Bengal Government under Mamata is always trying to cover-up the truth, instead of punishing the culprits.

"Be it the case of bribery or be it a rape case, this Mamata Banerjee's people are involved. The government and administration are busy in protecting the culprits and implicating the whistle-blowers under false cases. This time the High Court has asked for CBI enquiry and Supreme Court has upheld. Now Mamata Banerjee only can rush to the Modi Government," he added.

In a setback for the Trinamool Congress, the apex court yesterday refused to stop the CBI probe into the Narada sting operation.

The three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Tirath Singh Khehar and comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that the CBI investigation would go on against the accused persons in this case.

Kapil Sibal, one of the lawyers 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 earlier 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 Minsiter Mamata Banerjee, MPs, police officers and ex-MLA in its preliminary inquiry.

Earlier on March 17, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into bribery allegations against top TMC parliamentarians and ministers.

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 tapes as 'doctored' and said the 'dirty tricks departments' of its political opponents were behind the 'smear' campaign.

The sting operation video was released by the portal on March 14, 2016 just ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.