Narada Case: CBI awaits LS Speaker's sanction to prosecute Suvendu Adhikari, 3 others

By Ashoke Raj
New Delhi [India], May 19 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought sanction to prosecute BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and three others in the Narada case from the Lok Sabha Speaker, sources said. The prosecution sanction against the then four TMC MPs is awaited since 2019.
CBI is waiting for prosecution sanction from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against the then four TMC MPs - Suvendu Adhikari, Kakoli Ghosh, Saugata Roy and Prasun Banerjee, the sources said.
Sources further said that the investigation agency has not stopped investigations against Mukul Roy and Aparupa Poddar in connection with the investigation.
A prosecution sanction is required for mentioning or making an accused in the charge sheet of CBI.
As per Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the prosecution sanction status on four MPs is pending. As per CBI FIR and case number, prosecution sanction is still pending against the then four TMC MPs.
"Ministry/Department wise summary of cases pending sanction for prosecution over four months as of 31.11.2020. RC 10(A)/2017, ACB Kolkata 06/04/2019, Sougata Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Suvendu Adhikari, Lok Sabha," CVC website said.
Earlier in 2019, CBI had sent several reminders to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking prosecution sanction against the then four TMC MPs.
"The first communication letter sent regarding sanction of pending probe against Lok Sabha MPs on August 2019 and the second reminder for sanctioned sent in September 2019 before the winter session begun," sources said.
According to the federal agency rules, "If the agency wants to file a charge sheet against a Lok Sabha MP, then it is mandatory for to get the prosecution sanction from the Lok Sabha Speaker, even if no one is currently an MP, but the allegations are being made while being an MP, Speaker's approval required."
"In the case of Mukul Roy and Aparupa Podda, the then TMC leaders, have not been given a clean chit in the Narada case. Investigations against them are not concluded yet." the investigation agency sources said.
Sources also mentioned that Mukul Roy was not seen taking money in the sting.
Mathew Samuel, the then founder of Narada news portal, told ANI, "I am very happy that CBI has finally arrested some of the big shots of TMC. But my question is, why not Suvendu Adhikari was arrested in the same Narada case. He has taken money from me which is in the public domain."
TMC Ministers Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, MLA Madan Mitra and Former Mayor Sovan Chatterjee were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Narada scam earlier this week.