News Analysis India

Tag: Firhad Hakim

  • Narada case: Firhad Hakim returns home after HC orders house arrest, three others to remain in hospital due to ill health

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim on Friday returned home after the Calcutta High Court ordered the house arrest of him and three others arrested by the CBI in connection with the Narada sting tape case.

    Hakim, the state’s transport minister and chairman of the board of administrators of the KMC, came back to his Chetla residence in the evening, amid tight security.

    “We urged his supporters to not celebrate his return as he and the others are yet to get bail. Please ensure the court directive that there shouldn’t be any crowding in front of the residence,” one of his daughters said.

    Apart from Hakim, the high court earlier in the day ordered the house arrest of Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee.

    The court passed the direction modifying its earlier order that stayed their bail granted by a special CBI court on Monday when the four leaders were arrested.

    However, Mukherjee, Mitra and Chatterjee will not be able to return home immediately as they are undergoing treatment for various health conditions.

    Mitra, who had recently recovered from COVID-19, was diagnosed with severe pulmonary problems.

    “Mr Mitra’s condition is critical. He needs to be in hospital for treatment and is not in a position to be discharged,” one of the three doctors of the medical board constituted for the treatment of the three political leaders, said.

    Chatterjee, who suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and is highly diabetic, has developed cirrhosis of the liver, he said.

    The doctor said Mukherjee is on nebuliser.

    “We have to continue their treatment. At the moment, they are under observation,” he added.

  • Calcutta HC orders house arrest of four leaders held in Narada case

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered the shifting of two West Bengal ministers, an MLA and a former mayor of the city, who were arrested by the CBI in the Narada sting tape case, to house arrest from jail incarceration.

    The court passed the direction modifying its earlier order that stayed their bail granted by a special CBI court on Monday when the four leaders were arrested.

    The court directed that the two ministers, during their period of house arrest, can deal with official files sent to them online and hold meetings through video conferencing.

    The judges of the division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, who differed on the issue of recalling the stay on bail to the four accused, decided to refer the matter to a larger bench.

    For the purpose, the Acting Chief Justice has constituted a five-judge bench consisting of himself, Justices I P Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Arijit Banerjee.

    The matter will be taken up for hearing at 11 am on May 24.

    The new bench will hear the CBI’s prayer for transfer of the case from the lower court to itself.

    Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, Transport Minister Firhad Hakim, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee were arrested by the CBI on Monday morning in connection with the Narada sting tape case that is being investigated by the agency as per a 2017 order of the high court.

    Modifying its earlier order of May 17, the division bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, on Friday directed that “considering the age and health issues of the accused, three of whom are said to be admitted in hospital, instead of custody in jail, all the accused persons can be put under house arrest in their own homes.”

    Of the four accused who have been in judicial remand, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee were admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital owing to ailments a day after their arrest on Monday.

    The bench directed that during their house arrest, while being in home comfort, they will be entitled to all medical facilities and will be bound by all applicable restrictions.

    The bench directed that it will be the duty of the jail authorities in the state to enforce the conditions.

    “Keeping in view importance of the issues involved in the matter, as noticed in various orders passed by this court, we find that it would be appropriate if the entire matter is heard by a larger bench,” the division bench said.

    Earlier, differing on the recalling applications filed by the accused persons, Justice Arijit Banerjee favoured granting of bail to the four, while Acting Chief Justice Bindal wanted that they be sent on house arrest.

    While the CBI prayed for transfer of the Narada sting case, the four accused moved the high court seeking recall of its order staying the bail granted to them by the special CBI court.

    Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, prayed for stay of the order sending the accused to house arrest for one week to enable the CBI to avail of its appropriate remedy.

    The court, however, turned down the prayer considering the age and health of the accused, observing, “We do not find any reason to stay the operation of the order as the accused persons still remain in judicial custody though only the manner has changed.”

    Counsels representing the accused prayed that since some of the accused are holding high positions and are managing the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, they may be allowed to discharge their official functions for which government officers may be allowed access to them.

    The division bench directed that the government officials will not have any direct access to the accused, but permitted them to deal with the files sent to them online and hold meetings through video conferencing.

    The CBI has sought transfer of the case alleging extraordinary circumstances wherein West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna in the CBI office after the arrests and the agency not being able to produce the four accused in court physically owing to unruly protests by a large number of people outside its office complex.

    The high court on Monday night stayed the lower court’s decision to grant bail to the four leaders, arrested and charge-sheeted by the CBI in the Narada sting case.

    The division bench had said that it deemed it appropriate to stay the special court’s order and direct that the “accused person shall be treated to be in judicial custody till further orders”.

    The sting operation was conducted by journalist Mathew Samuel of Narada News, a web portal, in 2014 wherein some people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of favours.

    At that time, the four arrested politicians were ministers in the Mamata Banerjee government.

    The sting operation was made public ahead of the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal.

  • Mamata attacks Centre over CBI arrests

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called the CBI’s arrest of three Trinamool Congress MLAs, including two ministers, an act of vendetta politics. She said the two ministers, who were arrested, were playing a key role in the state’s fight against Covid-19.  It was for the first time she was speaking in public after Monday’s arrest of three party MLAs by the central agency. 

    “Two ministers Bobby (Firhad Hakim) and Subrata Mukherjee were playing a key role (in the battle against Covid-19). Bobby works hard and is always on the field. He was among those who took the vaccine during its trial run,” the chief minister said.  “They are detained for four days. We are dealing with the Covid situation by adopting alternative measures. But no one can substitute anyone,’’ Mamata said at the state secretariat.

    Without naming the BJP, she said, “They don’t have time to look at the plight of the common people at this hour of crisis. But they have time to practice politics of vendetta.’’The CBI on Monday, arrested Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee, Transport and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee in connection with the Narada sting operation case. 

    On Thursday evening, Mamata, while returning to her residence from the state secretariat went to Hakim’s house and met his daughter Sabba. She reportedly told Sabba that it is a political battle which the TMC will win. Though Mamata did not name the BJP, her party functionaries have accused the saffron camp of using the central agency against the TMC leaders as a retribution for their defeat in the recently-concluded Assembly elections in the state.

    The TMC’s spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the BJP is playing a game of dirty politics. “BJP’s national vide-president Mukul Roy and Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari are also accused in the case. But they are left untouched because they are under the umbrella of the BJP,” he alleged.         

  • Narada case: Arrested Trinamool leaders to stay in jail; Governor raps Mamata government over protests in front of Raj Bhavan

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court adjourned till Thursday the hearing in the Narada sting tape case, in which two West Bengal ministers, an MLA and a former mayor of Kolkata were arrested by the CBI.

    In view of the adjournment on Wednesday, ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former city mayor Sovan Chatterjee will continue to remain in judicial custody.

    The petition of the CBI seeking transfer of trial in the case and the recalling application filed by the four leaders on the high court’s stay order on the bail granted by a CBI court on Monday will be further heard by the division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee on Thursday.

    The high court on Monday night stayed the lower court’s decision to grant bail to the four leaders, arrested and charge-sheeted by the CBI in the Narada sting case.

    The division bench had said that it deemed it appropriate to stay the special court’s order and direct that the “accused person shall be treated to be in judicial custody till further orders”.

    The four leaders were arrested on Monday morning from their residences in the city in connection with the Narada sting case that is being investigated by the CBI on an order by the high court.

    The CBI prayed before the high court that it transfers all proceedings in the Narada sting tape case to itself.

    It also prayed that the division bench declares that the proceedings before the special CBI court post production of the arrested accused virtually on May 17 are a nullity in the eyes of law and to conduct the proceedings afresh.

    The CBI further prayed that pending the final hearing and disposal of its petition before it, the high court direct continuance of its order staying the bail granted to the accused by the lower court.

    Seeking transfer of the case from the special court, the CBI claimed that all the four persons arrested are very influential persons and it apprehends that they will influence and threaten the witnesses and the system.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, submitted during the hearing through the virtual mode that the incidents following the arrests were unprecedented.

    “Their influence could be ascertained by the conduct of the Honble Chief Minister, Honble Law Minister, other Hon’ble Ministers and other eminent elected representatives, and the conduct of the mob at CBI Office and court premises on 17.05.2021,” the CBI said in its petition.

    It claimed that while the matter was being heard by the special CBI court, the CBI office was held under gherao by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Santanu Sen, and TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, while an unruly crowd indulged in stone pelting at the CBI office premises.

    The CBI said that the chief minister entered the CBI office premises at 10.50 am on Monday.

    The investigating agency claimed that while entering the CBI Office, she started shouting “You also arrest me” and sat on a dharna for six hours.

    It further said that state “Law Minister Malay Ghatak, MP Kalyan Banerjee and other important functionaries of the ruling party with a very large threatening mob of persons remained in the court premises till the arguments were completed.”

    The CBI has made the chief minister, the law minister and Kalyan Banerjee party in its petition seeking transfer of the case.

    The agency claimed in its transfer petition before the high court that due to the gherao and violence resorted to by the mob, it was not possible for the CBI officers to move out of their office to enable them to physically produce the accused in the court and to produce the case diary before it as required by Constitution and the law.

    It claimed that under the said circumstances, the CBI court passed the order granting bail to the four, “under the cloud of mobocracy, pressure, threat and violence and is a nullity in the eyes of law”.

    Appearing for the arrested leaders, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed that there were democratic protests and that these did not affect the process of law and hearing before the special CBI court.

    He submitted that the chief minister and other ministers did not in any way instigate the protesters and had instead urged them to maintain peace.

    Singhvi further submitted that there is no relation between the protests and the special CBI court’s order granting bail.

    He questioned why were the two ministers – Mukherjee and Hakim, and the other two former ministers – Mitra and Chatterjee, arrested even though they cooperated with the investigation all along.

    It was further stated that there was no reason for their being in custody since a charge sheet against them was submitted by the investigating agency before the CBI court on Monday.

    Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had on May 7 sanctioned the prosecution of Hakim, Mukherjee, Mitra and Chatterjee on a request by the CBI on the ground that all of them were holding positions of ministers in the state at the time of the alleged commission of the crime.

    The Narada sting tapes, which were made public before the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal, were claimed to have been shot in 2014, wherein people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were allegedly seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of promised favours.

    The sting was conducted by Mathew Samuel of Narada News portal.

    The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the Narada sting operation in March 2017.

    The CBI had registered cases against 12 TMC leaders, many of whom are now in the BJP, and an IPS officer.

    Meanwhile, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday took “serious note” of the demonstrations in front of the Raj Bhavan on consecutive days, despite prohibitory orders in force in the area, and sought a report from the city police.

    The governor took to Twitter and shared video clips of both the events tagging the official handle of Kolkata Police, and asked them to send comprehensive reports regarding the incidents and the actions taken by 5 pm on Wednesday.

    The governor’s ire followed the agitation near the four gates of Raj Bhavan by Trinamool Congress activists on Monday after the CBI arrested three heavyweight TMC leaders, two of them state ministers, in connection with Narada case, and a demonstration by a social organisation in which a person was seen with a posse of half a dozen sheep near the North Gate the day after.

    Dhankhar, who has been flagging the “worsening law and order issue” repeatedly in recent times, accused the demonstrators of showing threatening posture amounting to utter disregard for law and accused the police of not taking note of that.

    Tagging the Twitter handle of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police, Dhankhar tweeted on Wednesday, “State of law and order ?@MamataOfficial? even at the main entry gate of Raj Bhawan worrisome with stance police ? @KolkataPolice? leaving all to be desired.

    “And all this when the area is subject to 144 CrPC prohibitory orders. Constrained to seek an update on it.”

    In another tweet, he shared a video of a man posing outside Raj Bhavan with a flock of sheep on Tuesday.

    Dhankhar tweeted “and on this stance @KolkataPolice (laughable one) is that the man was keen to have photo with Raj Bhawan background. No action whatsoever taken.”

    Suman Mitra, a spokesman of the organisation which carried out this unusual protest, had said the demonstration was organised to protest “lack of concern by the governor for the people who are facing the brunt due to worsening COVID-19 situation in the state, scarcity in supply of oxygen, rise in deaths. Instead, he is only preoccupied with other issues which can be dealt with later on.”

    “Our protest is against the dirty politics at the time of pandemic when people of Bengal are suffering,” Mitra said.

    Turning to the agitation by Trinamool Congress activists before all the gates of Raj Bhavan in protest against the arrests by CBI on Monday, Dhankhar tweeted “And such threatening posture at main gate of Raj Bhawan! Police @KolkataPolice virtually takes no note of it.

    “Look at the content of the threat! With no fear of law- understandably given inaction of police. Can all this @MamataOfficial be countenanced or overlooked!”

  • Narada case: Arrested Trinamool leaders to stay in jail; Governor raps Mamata government over protests in front of Raj Bhavan

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court adjourned till Thursday the hearing in the Narada sting tape case, in which two West Bengal ministers, an MLA and a former mayor of Kolkata were arrested by the CBI.

    In view of the adjournment on Wednesday, ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former city mayor Sovan Chatterjee will continue to remain in judicial custody.

    The petition of the CBI seeking transfer of trial in the case and the recalling application filed by the four leaders on the high court’s stay order on the bail granted by a CBI court on Monday will be further heard by the division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee on Thursday.

    The high court on Monday night stayed the lower court’s decision to grant bail to the four leaders, arrested and charge-sheeted by the CBI in the Narada sting case.

    The division bench had said that it deemed it appropriate to stay the special court’s order and direct that the “accused person shall be treated to be in judicial custody till further orders”.

    The four leaders were arrested on Monday morning from their residences in the city in connection with the Narada sting case that is being investigated by the CBI on an order by the high court.

    The CBI prayed before the high court that it transfers all proceedings in the Narada sting tape case to itself.

    It also prayed that the division bench declares that the proceedings before the special CBI court post production of the arrested accused virtually on May 17 are a nullity in the eyes of law and to conduct the proceedings afresh.

    The CBI further prayed that pending the final hearing and disposal of its petition before it, the high court direct continuance of its order staying the bail granted to the accused by the lower court.

    Seeking transfer of the case from the special court, the CBI claimed that all the four persons arrested are very influential persons and it apprehends that they will influence and threaten the witnesses and the system.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, submitted during the hearing through the virtual mode that the incidents following the arrests were unprecedented.

    “Their influence could be ascertained by the conduct of the Honble Chief Minister, Honble Law Minister, other Hon’ble Ministers and other eminent elected representatives, and the conduct of the mob at CBI Office and court premises on 17.05.2021,” the CBI said in its petition.

    It claimed that while the matter was being heard by the special CBI court, the CBI office was held under gherao by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Santanu Sen, and TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, while an unruly crowd indulged in stone pelting at the CBI office premises.

    The CBI said that the chief minister entered the CBI office premises at 10.50 am on Monday.

    The investigating agency claimed that while entering the CBI Office, she started shouting “You also arrest me” and sat on a dharna for six hours.

    It further said that state “Law Minister Malay Ghatak, MP Kalyan Banerjee and other important functionaries of the ruling party with a very large threatening mob of persons remained in the court premises till the arguments were completed.”

    The CBI has made the chief minister, the law minister and Kalyan Banerjee party in its petition seeking transfer of the case.

    The agency claimed in its transfer petition before the high court that due to the gherao and violence resorted to by the mob, it was not possible for the CBI officers to move out of their office to enable them to physically produce the accused in the court and to produce the case diary before it as required by Constitution and the law.

    It claimed that under the said circumstances, the CBI court passed the order granting bail to the four, “under the cloud of mobocracy, pressure, threat and violence and is a nullity in the eyes of law”.

    Appearing for the arrested leaders, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed that there were democratic protests and that these did not affect the process of law and hearing before the special CBI court.

    He submitted that the chief minister and other ministers did not in any way instigate the protesters and had instead urged them to maintain peace.

    Singhvi further submitted that there is no relation between the protests and the special CBI court’s order granting bail.

    He questioned why were the two ministers – Mukherjee and Hakim, and the other two former ministers – Mitra and Chatterjee, arrested even though they cooperated with the investigation all along.

    It was further stated that there was no reason for their being in custody since a charge sheet against them was submitted by the investigating agency before the CBI court on Monday.

    Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had on May 7 sanctioned the prosecution of Hakim, Mukherjee, Mitra and Chatterjee on a request by the CBI on the ground that all of them were holding positions of ministers in the state at the time of the alleged commission of the crime.

    The Narada sting tapes, which were made public before the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal, were claimed to have been shot in 2014, wherein people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were allegedly seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of promised favours.

    The sting was conducted by Mathew Samuel of Narada News portal.

    The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the Narada sting operation in March 2017.

    The CBI had registered cases against 12 TMC leaders, many of whom are now in the BJP, and an IPS officer.

    Meanwhile, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday took “serious note” of the demonstrations in front of the Raj Bhavan on consecutive days, despite prohibitory orders in force in the area, and sought a report from the city police.

    The governor took to Twitter and shared video clips of both the events tagging the official handle of Kolkata Police, and asked them to send comprehensive reports regarding the incidents and the actions taken by 5 pm on Wednesday.

    The governor’s ire followed the agitation near the four gates of Raj Bhavan by Trinamool Congress activists on Monday after the CBI arrested three heavyweight TMC leaders, two of them state ministers, in connection with Narada case, and a demonstration by a social organisation in which a person was seen with a posse of half a dozen sheep near the North Gate the day after.

    Dhankhar, who has been flagging the “worsening law and order issue” repeatedly in recent times, accused the demonstrators of showing threatening posture amounting to utter disregard for law and accused the police of not taking note of that.

    Tagging the Twitter handle of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police, Dhankhar tweeted on Wednesday, “State of law and order ?@MamataOfficial? even at the main entry gate of Raj Bhawan worrisome with stance police ? @KolkataPolice? leaving all to be desired.

    “And all this when the area is subject to 144 CrPC prohibitory orders. Constrained to seek an update on it.”

    In another tweet, he shared a video of a man posing outside Raj Bhavan with a flock of sheep on Tuesday.

    Dhankhar tweeted “and on this stance @KolkataPolice (laughable one) is that the man was keen to have photo with Raj Bhawan background. No action whatsoever taken.”

    Suman Mitra, a spokesman of the organisation which carried out this unusual protest, had said the demonstration was organised to protest “lack of concern by the governor for the people who are facing the brunt due to worsening COVID-19 situation in the state, scarcity in supply of oxygen, rise in deaths. Instead, he is only preoccupied with other issues which can be dealt with later on.”

    “Our protest is against the dirty politics at the time of pandemic when people of Bengal are suffering,” Mitra said.

    Turning to the agitation by Trinamool Congress activists before all the gates of Raj Bhavan in protest against the arrests by CBI on Monday, Dhankhar tweeted “And such threatening posture at main gate of Raj Bhawan! Police @KolkataPolice virtually takes no note of it.

    “Look at the content of the threat! With no fear of law- understandably given inaction of police. Can all this @MamataOfficial be countenanced or overlooked!”

  • Narada case: Firhad Hakim’s daughter appeals to Trinamool supporters to stay home, not demonstrate

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Daughter of West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim, arrested in the Narada sting case, Shabba Hakim has appealed to TMC supporters and her fathers followers not to gather in front of the correctional home or their residence on Wednesday when the Calcutta High Court will hear the Narada case again.

    Alleging that the CBI could grab the opportunity to showcase that the law and order was breaking down, in case supporters of arrested Trinamool Congress leaders staged protests as they did on Monday, Shabba appealed to supporters to stay at home and desist from violating Covid safety protocols.

    “Besides, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, we have been appealing to baba’s (fathers) supporters not to gather outside our residence or in front of Presidency Correctional Home but to stay at home amid this Covid pandemic. We have personally telephoned our party workers appealing to them on this. We do not want the CBI to take advantage when the court hears us tomorrow,” Hakim told PTI.

    On Monday, TMC supporters had taken to the streets and protested outside CBI offices at Nizam Palace, Presidency Correctional Home and Raj Bhavans.

    Some had taken to pelting stones, while others raised slogans.

    Shabba, who is a doctor by profession also said that her father is not really bothered about his plight in jail, but his inability to discharge his duties amid the COVID-19 surge has left him ill at ease.

    In the morning, Shabba had met Hakim in the Presidency correctional home here.

    “Baba is not sad because he is away from us. What concerns him is the work that he was supposed to undertake amid the COVID-19 crisis. He would leave home every morning to attend to the people in need of help,” Shabba rued.

    She also said the state transport minister was trying to cope with the sudden turn of events.

    “As of now, Baba is okay. We are keeping a tab on his health condition. But we are also worried. The Supreme Court had noted that chances of virus transmission were high in prison,” she added.

    The CBI on Monday arrested two state ministers – Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee besides MLA Madan Mitra and former party leader Sovan Chatterjee in connection with its probe into the Narada sting operation, which purportedly caught politicians accepting bribes on camera.

    They were initially granted interim bail by a special CBI court, but the central probe agency subsequently moved the Calcutta High Court, which stayed the lower court order till further hearing.

    Taking to Twitter, Shabba, the second of Hakim’s three daughters, had criticised the CBI on Monday afternoon for not releasing the four leaders, despite the lower court having granted them bail.

    “Even after the bail order has come through, CBI is detaining @FirhadHakim, @MLA_Subrata, @madanmitraoff and Sovan Chatterjee illegally. They are disregarding the verdict of the court.#shamecbi,” she had tweeted.

  • Narada sting case: Two Bengal ministers, TMC MLA taken to CBI office in Kolkata

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested three newly elected Trinamool Congress MLAs, including two ministers, and former TMC minister and mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in connection with the Narada sting operation case which was performed in 2014 and released a month before the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal. The central agency will submit the chargesheet in Narada sting operation case on Monday.

    Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee, a veteran in Bengal’s politics, urban development and transport minister Firhad Hakim, who is also an administrator of the KMC, TMC MLA from Kamarhati, North 24 Parganas, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee, former TMC minister who joined the BJP and later resigned, have been arrested on non-bailable charges.

    WB CM Mamata Banerjee arrived CBI’s Nizam Palace where two TMC ministers and one MLA arrested in Narada sting operation case. @NewIndianXpress @gsvasu_TNIE @khogensingh1
    — Pranab Mondal (@PranabM29940593) May 17, 2021

    While being taken away from his residence, Hakim said he was being arrested in connection with the Narada case and he would fight against the CBI in the court of law.

    The TMC alleged the arrests is a fallout of BJP’s debacle in the recently concluded Assembly elections. ‘’The central agency’s act clearly reflects BJP’s politics of revenge. They failed to combat politically with the TMC in the elections and are now using the central agency,’’ said TMC MP and spokesperson Saugata Roy.

    The ruling party alleged the CBI did not take the permission of the Speaker of the Assembly before arresting the three MLAs. ‘’The CBI did not communicate with me and seek my permission to arrest the MLAs. I received no letter from the central agency,’’ said Speaker Biman Banerjee.

    Sources in the CBI said there was a provision in the law that an MLA can be arrested after getting an approval from the governor.

    The CBI, however, is yet to take step against Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, and the saffron camp’s national vice president Mukul Roy. Both the defectors have been named in the FIR.

  • Fighting pandemic priority of new Bengal govt, focus also on job creation, says Minister Firhad Hakim

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is the priority of the new government in West Bengal, state minister Firhad Hakim said, maintaining that the focus would also be on creating more jobs, infrastructure and retaining the top spot in the agriculture sector.

    Hakim, a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said the new government would work to fulfil the promises made in the interim state Budget ahead of the elections.

    “The priority is on handling the COVID situation. Thereafter, the focus will be on creating more employment opportunities and building new infrastructures that were announced by Didi (Banerjee) in her last Budget,” Hakim told PTI in an interview.

    “One of our priorities will also be retaining the state’s top position in the agriculture sector. I think, these are the main challenges,” he added.

    ALSO READ: Mamata urges PM to waive taxes, duties on medical equipment, drugs

    Hakim, who holds the Transport and Housing portfolios in the new government besides heading the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, has announced a slew of initiatives in tackling the pandemic over the last few weeks.

    Among those are setting up new safe homes and oxygen parlours.

    “We are now fighting a big battle against the coronavirus. We have to bring the healthcare system of the state back on track. It was derailed by the frequent visits of the Union ministers and outsiders during the elections,” he said.

    “We are fighting day in and day out, and I am sure that our government will be in a very comfortable position to handle all the issues,” he said.

    Hakim, 62, won the elections from the Port seat with a massive margin of 68,302 votes.

    “Frankly speaking, I did not expect winning with such a huge margin. I was sure that Didi was coming back to power with the two-third majority but this was beyond my imagination,” he said.

    Hakim said that he would do his best to carry out the responsibilities of the new departments — Transport and Housing.

    “I am with Mamata Banerjee and she is the pride of my life. I can even die for Didi. I will do my level best to carry out the responsibilities she gave me,” he said.

  • Narada sting operation: TMC leaders will emerge unscatched, says Firad Hakim

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister for transport and housing Firhad Hakim on Monday expressed confidence that he and his party colleagues would emerge unscathed from the investigation being conducted by the CBI into the Narada sting operation.

    He welcomed Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s decision to sanction prosecution against him and other senior leaders of the TMC, including Madan Mitra and Subrata Mukherjee.

    Sovan Chatterjee, who had quit the TMC and joined the BJP only to sever ties with both the parties later, has also come under the central agency’s lens in the case.

    “I personally do not mind the prosecution as I have full faith in the judiciary. I am sure we will all get a clean chit. The BJP had been unnecessarily trying to malign my image and career,” Hakim said.

    “It is good that the case was being moved to the court. I will say what I have to in court, and justice will be served,” he added.

    Hakim and Mukherjee are among the 43 TMC leaders who were sworn-in as ministers in Mamata Banerjee Cabinet on Monday at Raj Bhavan.

    The Narada sting tapes, made public before the 2016 assembly elections in Bengal, were claimed to have been shot in 2014, and people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were allegedly seen in the video receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of promised favours.

    Dhankhar, on a request by the CBI, has sanctioned the prosecution all four leaders.

    They were part of the Mamata Banerjee cabinet when the tapes were allegedly made by Mathew Samuel of Narada News portal in 2014.

    The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the sting operation in March 2017.

  • Narada sting tapes: Bengal Governor sanctions CBI prosecution of top ministers

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, on a request by the CBI, sanctioned the prosecution of Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee, all of them ministers during the time of the alleged commission of a crime that came to light in the purported Narada sting tapes, a Raj Bhavan official said on Sunday.

    “Honourable governor is the competent authority to accord sanction in terms of law as he happens to be the appointing authority for such ministers in terms of Article 164 of the Constitution,” a statement issued by the officer on special duty (communication), Raj Bhavan, said.

    All four were ministers in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet when the tapes were allegedly made in 2014.

    Hakim, Mukherjee and Mitra have been re-elected as TMC MLAs in the just-concluded assembly elections, while Chatterjee, who left the TMC to join the BJP, has severed links with both the camps.

    The statement said that the sanction for prosecution of the four leaders was accorded by Dhankhar “after the CBI had made a request and made available entire documentation relevant to the case to the honourable governor and he invoked his powers under Article 163 and 164 of the Constitution, being the competent authority to accord such sanction”.

    The Narada sting tapes, made public before the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal, were claimed to have been shot in 2014, wherein people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were allegedly seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of promised favours.

    The sting operation was allegedly conducted by Mathew Samuel of Narada News portal.

    The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the sting operation in March, 2017.