Narada sting case: CBI books 12 TMC leaders including MPs, ministers

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee described the entire episode as a political game and said that she will fight it out politically. Photo: File

NEW DELHI: The CBI has booked 12 Trinamool Congress leaders, including members of Parliament and ministers in the West Bengal government, and an IPS officer in the Narada sting footage case, in which they were allegedly caught on camera taking money. The accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy and under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. "CBI conducted the Preliminary Enquiry into the said allegations expeditiously. Enquiry revealed prima facie material for registration of a Regular Case (FIR) under the charges of ciminal conspiracy to commit a crime (IPC 120B) and Section 7 and 13(2), 13(1) (a) and (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Further investigation is continuing," IANS quoted a CBI statement as saying. Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee described the entire episode as a political game and said that she will fight it out politically. "Because they (CBI) have filed the FIR, does it mean their guilt is proved? Let them (the CBI) first prove the guilt. There is no cause for any worry," PTI quoted Mamata as saying. The Narada sting tapes, which were released to different news organisations before assembly elections in West Bengal in March 2016, purportedly showing senior TMC leaders receiving money allegedly for giving future favours. The agency has registered cases of alleged criminal conspiracy and corruption against Rajya Sabha member Mukul Roy, Lok Sabha members Sultan Ahmed, Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Aparupa Poddar, among others, CBI sources said. An Indian Police Service officer has also been booked in the case, the source said. The case was registered after the CBI completed its preliminary enquiry into the charges. The PE was registered on the directions of a Calcutta high court division bench of acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T. Chakraborti.