Kolkata: Denying the fact that he has taken money in the Narada sting operation case, senior BJP leader Mukul Roy has accused chief minister Mamata Banerjee of plotting a conspiracy against him to malign him after the CBI raided his residence in south Kolkata on Sunday morning with arrested IPS officer Syed Mohammed Hussain Mirza and reconstructed the sequence of the allegations of money transaction there.
The CBI’s dramatic move came a day after it grilled Mr Roy face to face with Mr Mirza following his appearance. Some gaps were however yet to be plugged.
Taking Mr Mirza with them, an anti-corruption branch team of the CBI, escorted by a contingent of the Central para-military forces jawans, knocked the door of Mr Roy’s flat at Elgin Road at around 11.45 am.
A videography was done during the reconstruction in the presence of Mr Mirza and Mr Roy. Mr Mirza, once known for his proximity to Mr Roy when the latter was a Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP and also during the sting operation, was seen taking Mr Roy’s name in one of the Narada sting footages. During his interrogation, the IPS officer told the CBI that the money was received from journalist Mathew Samuel, who conducted the sting operation, sources revealed.
The cash was given at Mr Roy’s flat on Elgin Road, sources disclosed while adding that Mr Samuel also corroborated it during his questioning by the CBI.
Later, Mr Roy said, “The reconstruction was done for everyone in this case. The CBI however could not do it in my place due to my problems. They did the reconstruction which is routine as part of the investigation.”
The former Trinamul leader added, “It is their prerogative that they brought Mr Mirza. Anyone can lodge a complaint. But it has to be proved with evidence. It is fine if these aspects are done. I repeat I neither took money nor was seen taking money in Narada scam. A conspiracy is being plotted against me. I am ready to face any probe irrespective of times.”
Lashing out at the chief minister, the senior BJP leader alleged, “No money transaction was done at my place. It was not even seen in the sting footages. Whoever Mathew Samuel paid money was shown in the footages. But in my case no footage was shown.
“The chief minister is hatching the conspiracy to malign me and BJP. Those who are plotting the conspiracy are telling others to take my name in order to implicate me.”
