CBI quizzes Kolkata Mayor in Narada case for second day

Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee appeared before CBI officials on Friday for a second round of questioning in connection with Narada sting case after nearly seven hours of grilling on Thursday.

"Sovan Chatterjee has reached our Nizam Palace office in Kolkata on Friday morning. He is being interrogated about his role and involvement in the Narada sting case," a Central Bureau of Investigation official said.

Chatterjee was named in an FIR along with a dozen senior leaders of the Trinamool Congress in the case which pertains to a video clip purportedly showing the party leaders receiving money for extending favours to a fictitious company. The sting was carried out by Narada News portal.

While leaving the CBI office on Thursday afternoon, Chatterjee, however, said he does not remember any incident of taking money.

"A lot of people come to meet us for different reasons. I do not remember the incident clearly," he said.

Chatterjee, who is also the West Bengal Minister for Environment, Fire and Emergency Services and Housing, was previously twice summoned by the sleuths for interrogation. But he skipped the previous summons, seeking more time.

He was also interrogated on August 10 by the Enforcement Directorate, which is parallelly investigating the case.

The investigation agency lodged an FIR on April 17 against 13 persons, including several state ministers and Members of Parliament from the ruling Trinamool Congress, a month after the Calcutta High Court ordered a preliminary inquiry into the Narada sting footage case.

--IANS

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