Top TMC leaders spar over Abhishek remarks on Narada sting operation’

“Suvendu Adhikari was seen taking cash on camera in Narada sting operation. But so far he has not been questioned. No judge gave an order to summon him for questioning,” the Diamond Harbour MP said.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Roy said, “Five years ago, the CBI had questioned me. The investigation has not progressed. What can I do? Abhishek Banerjee has said what he felt about the case. He made the statement as a top leader of the party. Arrests will not be made based on his statement. Moreover, arrests are made when there are discrepancies in your responses during questioning. I was not arrested when I was questioned.”

Criticising party leader Sougata Roy for his comments against Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MLA Madan Mitra challenged Roy to contest an election without the party’s symbol.

“Some of our leaders forget that they have won the election with the help of TMC’s symbol which was given to them by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. It does not matter how big a leader you are, if the party takes away the symbol then you will have to start giving coaching classes to students. If you don’t get enough students then you will have to sell peanuts. If you have guts, say that you will contest without the party symbol,” said Mitra.

The Narada sting operation case was a series of sting operations conducted by Narada news in West Bengal to expose the ‘corrupt’ practices of ministers in the Mamata Banerjee government. The sting was conducted over a period of two years and was earlier to be published in Tehelka magazine. It was carried out by journalist Mattew Samuel who later quit Tehelka and launched his own TV channel in West Bengal.

The sting operation was released just ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal and it showed 12 TMC ministers and leaders accepting bribes in return of favours.