Narada case

About Narada case

What is Narada case?

Narada case or Narada sting operation was a series of sting operations carried out by a news portal called Narada news, which led to the uncovering of ‘corrupt’ practices of the ministers in the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government. The sting operations were carried out by Mathew Samuel, who was earlier with Tehelka and quit to start his own TV Channel in West Bengal. The operation was conducted for the Tehelka magazine but it was published by the Narada news portal after Samuel quit the magazine. The sting operations were carried out over a period of two years targeting senior government officers and leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). It showed several politicians and officers accepting cash bribes for providing favours to a company. It was published months before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The Calcutta High Court ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation-led probe into the Narada scam in March 2017. The Enforcement Directorate is also probing the case. A Lok Sabha ethics committee was also set up as the accused involved Members of Parliament.

How was the Narada scam unearthed?

The sting operation was carried out by Narada News founder Mathew Samuel. Samuel created a cover for himself as a high-ranking official of a fictitious Chennai-based company. He also created a fake Aadhaar Card in the name of Santhosh Shankaran. Social media profiles were also created. According to Samuel, he initially approached the then deputy mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Iqbal Ahmed who introduced him to an IPS officer. The IPS officer (now suspended), HMS Mirza, introduced Samuel to Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Aparupa Poddar, Madan Mitra, and Mukul Roy. He later met Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Prasun Bannerjee, Suvendu Adhikari, and Sultan Ahmad. In the 52 hours of footage, many of the state ministers and MPs were seen to be accepting bribes in the form of cash in return for giving undue favours.

The sting operation was a major setback for TMC as it was already dealing with allegations of Saradha Chit fund scam. The party defended itself by saying that it was a political conspiracy against them and the videos were forged. The party also said the bribes were received as donations to the party. Despite the backlash, TMC managed to secure victory in the 2016 Assembly elections.

What has happened since the Narada scam was unearthed?

Since then, many of the accused in the Narada case have switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This includes heavyweight leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy, among others. The CBI and the ED are still investigating the case. Recently, after Mamata Banerjee-led TMC was voted back to power in the 2021 Assembly elections for the third time, the CBI moved to arrest four leaders of TMC who were named in the Narada case. This led to a serious Centre-state fight after the state government alleged it was unconstitutional to arrest the leaders without the consent of the Assembly speaker. The High Court granted interim bail to the four leaders arrested by the CBI. The High Court is hearing a CBI plea to transfer the Narada case, presently pending before a special court, to the High Court.

Latest Updates on Narada case

ED files chargesheet against senior Trinamool leaders in Narada case

ED filed a chargesheet with a sessions court here against two TMC ministers, Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, ex-minister Madan Mitra, former Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and IPS officer S.M.H. Meerza

Updated On: 01 Sep 2021 | 9:27 PM IST

Narada case: Calcutta HC Court allows affidavits of Mamata, Moloy Ghatak

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed affidavits of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Law Minister Moloy Ghatak in connection with the Narada scam case.

Updated On: 30 Jun 2021 | 1:16 PM IST

SC judge recuses from hearing pleas of CM Mamata, Law Min in Narada case

SC judge Aniruddha Bose recused himself from hearing appeals of WB CM Mamata and state law minister about their role on the day of arrest of four TMC leaders by the CBI in the Narada sting tape case

Updated On: 22 Jun 2021 | 11:23 AM IST

Calcutta HC to hear case of TMC leaders' arrest in Narada scam today

A five-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court is scheduled to hear the Narada Scam case on Thursday at 11 am

Updated On: 27 May 2021 | 6:58 AM IST

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Keeping politics out of CBI will be Subodh Kumar Jaiswal's major challenge

CBI has many challenges ahead of it. The most recent is the Narada scam, which relates to a sting operation by the Narada News website in 2016 that had allegedly shown TMC leaders accepting bribes

Updated On: 27 May 2021 | 6:10 AM IST

Accused, their liberty should not suffer due to 'dharna' by CM, Law Min: SC

Observing that while it did not approve 'dharna' by the CM and the Law Minister, the Supreme Court said the accused and their personal liberty should not suffer either on account of such protests

Updated On: 25 May 2021 | 9:04 PM IST

CBI moves SC against HC house arrest order of TMC leaders in Narada case

CBI filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's order which allowed the house arrest oF TMC leaders, who are accused in the Narada case

Updated On: 24 May 2021 | 9:56 AM IST

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

The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered house arrest of four political leaders, including two Bengal ministers, who were held in the Narada sting tapes case earlier in the week

Updated On: 21 May 2021 | 12:47 PM IST

Narada case: Mamata, Bengal law minister made parties in CBI petition in HC

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Law Minister Moloy Ghatak have been made parties in a petition by the CBI before the Calcutta High Court seeking transfer of the Narada case

Updated On: 19 May 2021 | 2:00 PM IST

Narada case: Arrested TMC leaders likely to seek recall of HC stay order

The Calcutta High Court is likely to hear petitions by two West Bengal ministers, a Trinamool Congress MLA and a former party leader on Wednesday

Updated On: 18 May 2021 | 8:40 PM IST

Narada case: Political storm in WB after CBI arrests two TMC ministers, MLA

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna at the CBI's office while her agitated party supporters besieged the premises and held violent protests in several parts of the state

Updated On: 17 May 2021 | 7:41 PM IST

Bengal speaker protests CBI's arrest of Trinamool ministers in Narada case

West Bengal assembly speaker Biman Banerjee on Monday contended that the CBI action on the basis of the governor's sanction was unlawful

Updated On: 17 May 2021 | 12:46 PM IST

Narada case: 2 Bengal ministers, TMC MLA taken to CBI office in Kolkata

Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee were taken to the CBI office here on Monday in connection with the Narada sting operation, officials said.

Updated On: 17 May 2021 | 11:12 AM IST

Narada case: CBI takes S M H Mirza to Mukul Roy's house for questioning

Mirza, who was apprehended earlier this week in the case, was taken to the BJP leader's south Kolkata residence by the agency officials: Report

Updated On: 30 Sep 2019 | 12:51 AM IST

Mukul Roy appears before CBI, faces questioning in Narada tapes case

In the footages, persons resembling senior Trinamool Congress leaders are seen accepting money from the representatives of a fictitious company in return for favours

Updated On: 28 Sep 2019 | 3:19 PM IST

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CBI files FIR against 13 TMC leaders in Narada case, Mamata cries foul

Footage showed TMC leaders accepting cash promising favours to a fictitious company

Updated On: 18 Apr 2017 | 9:45 AM IST

Narada case: CBI books 13 TMC leaders, including Mukul Roy

CBI registered a case of alleged criminal conspiracy and corruption against RS MP Mukul Roy

Updated On: 17 Apr 2017 | 6:50 PM IST