Narada scam: West Bengal government orders probe

During a press conference here at state's main administrative building Nabanna, she told the media, "I think Narada sting operation was a conspiracy before the recently concluded assembly polls. To know the truth, I have directed our police department to hold a probe into the matter. Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar will lead the investigation. I have already informed our Chief Secretary and Speaker of West Bengal Assembly."

Banerjee also said that she had ordered to hold investigation and take proper action, after the conclusion of probe.

"I have directed the police to hold an investigation and to take legal action. Anyone, who was involved in the case, will be punished after the investigation," she added.

Reacting on this matter, Narada News portal's CEO Mathew Samuel told IBNS, "As the matter is currently subjudicial in the Calcutta High Court, I won't comment on it. Let the honourable court decide which agency would investigate the matter. I would like to confirm it again that the sting operation was not a conspiracy."

Since March 14, 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 had claimed that the sting footage was doctored and conspiracy of oppositions.

Three Public Interest Litigations (PIL), demanding the CBI and ED joint probe into Narada sting operation, are subjudicial in division bench of Calcutta High Court, comprising of Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee. The division bench has sent the raw sting footage to a Hyderabad laboratory for forensic test.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)