ED quizzes Subrata Mukherjee over Narada scam

Kolkata: Subrata Mukherjee, a minister in the Trinamul Congress-led government in Bengal, was questionned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday in connection with the Narada sting operation case. According to sources, he has admitted to accepting cash during the sting conducted by Narada CEO Mathew Samuel. 

Mr Mukherjee was summonned by the Central government agency recently. He is one of the dozen TMC leaders to be booked by the ED in the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. At around 12 pm, the state panchayat minister appeared at the ED office in CGO Complex of Salt Lake. 

Before his questionning, Mr Mukherjee did not comment. He was grilled for over three hours, during which the ED team wanted to know from him whether he took '5 lakhs as shown in a sting tape. Sources said that Mr Mukherjee admitted to have taken money to foot election-related expenses.

He, however, argued that he accepted only Rs 3.5 lakh, sources said. Coming out of the ED office at around 3.50 pm, Mr Mukherjee said that he tried his best to satisfy the ED officers with his replies. 

“I answered all the questions of the ED officers. I hope I have been able to make them satisfied with my version,” he said. 

Asked if he would appear in case the ED calls him again for another round of questionning, he replied in the affirmative. Earlier, Trinamul MP Sultan Ahmed had also acknowledged to the CBI that he accepted money from Mr Samuel. 

Mr Mukherjee was the third minister in chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s Cabinet to have faced grilling in past three days. Before him, the ED questionned urban development minister Firhad Hakim on August 9 and fire and emergency services minister Sovan Chatterjee on Thursday.