January 09, 2025 05:32 pm (IST)
Narada tapes to be tested again in Chandigarh lab: Calcutta HC
Kolkata, Jun 24 (IBNS): The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered forensic tests of Narada sting's raw footage again from Central Forensic Science Laboratory Chandigarh, as Central Forensic Science Laboratory Hyderabad could not clarify if the footage is original or doctored due to lack of ultra-modern technology.
During the hearing of several Public Interest Litigations (PIL) filed demanding the CBI and ED joint probe into Narada sting, a division bench of Calcutta High Court, comprising of Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee, passed the direction.
The court also directed to send the raw tapes to Chandigarh by next 10 days and to collect by next one month. The case will be heard again after six weeks.
Besides sending summon to Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel, investigators of Kolkata Police on Friday visited a hotel in central part of the city, where Samuel checked in few months ago, sources said.
They also asked for CCTV footage, payment details and Samuel's visitors list from the hotel authority and travel agencies.
Earlier on June 17 (Friday), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced to hold a probe into Narada sting case under the leadership of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, while the matter is subjudicial in Calcutta High Court.
Following Mamata Banerjee's announcement, Kolkata Mayor Shovan Chatterjee's wife Ratna Chatterjee claimed that she had lodged a complaint against Narada News at New Market Police Station in central Kolkata on June 18 (Saturday).
Besides forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to enquire the matter, Kolkata Police have also initiated a case against Narada News under several IPC sections, including 120-B, 469, 171-G, 500 and 505 (1)(b), based upon Ratna Chatterjee's complaint, a senior official of Kolkata Police told IBNS.
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.
(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
Note: IBNS did not carry out the sting operation and we have not verified the contents of the sting independently.
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