Narada Sting Operations: Mathew Samuel Sets Three Conditions to Face CBI in Kolkata

Mathew Samuel, the man behind the Narada sting operations of 2016 , where several top leaders of Trinamool Congress and one police officer was seen accepting cash against promises of favour, has set three conditions for facing CBI questioning in Kolkata.

On September 12, the CBI summoned Samuel for questioning and he was asked to be present at CBI’s Nizam Palace office in central Kolkata on the morning of September 18.

However, CBI sources said that Samuel had sent three conditions for coming to Kolkata from this state of Kerala. The first condition is that his up and down flight travel costs will have to be reimbursed by the central agency.

The second condition is that the central agency will also have to arrange and bear the cost of his stay in Kolkata during the period. The final condition is that accommodation in Kolkata should be near the CBI office here.

Sources said that CBI had sent a communiqué to Samuel with the proposal for reimbursements for his up and down train fare. However, the proposal has been rejected by Samuel. His reasoning had been that the training commuting time will take at least five to six days which he cannot afford to spare being a journalist.

He also argued that long train travel is not permitted by his medical condition and he has also furnished a medical report to the central agency in support of his claim.

He also reminded the central agency his past travel costs to face interrogations are yet to be reimbursed and this time he will not be able to honour the notice unless the expenses arrangements are made by the central agency.

The Narada videos surfaced just before the 2016 West Bengal assembly polls. It created a major political stir in West Bengal and at one point of time the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee even said that had she been aware of the event she would have denied tickets to those who appeared in the sting videos.

After the CBI’s fresh initiative in the matter after so many years has led to several speculations in the political circles in the state. The question that is taking the round in the corridors of power now is whether after Samuel CBI sleuths will summon the leaders shown in the sting video.