The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money-laundering case based on the Narada cash-on-camera operation in which some Trinamool Congress [TMC] MLAs and ministers were seen purportedly taking money.
The agency registered the case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on a first information report or FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The ED’s case was registered on April 18, a day after the CBI filed its criminal FIR against 13 TMC leaders.
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The CBI’s FIR cites alleged criminal conspiracy and corruption against Rajya Sabha member Mukul Roy, and Lok Sabha members Sultan Ahmed, Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Aparupa Poddar, among others.
The CBI’s case followed the usual preliminary enquiry.
The preliminary enquiry was registered on the directions of a Calcutta high court division bench of acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T. Chakraborti.
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The Narada sting tapes, which were released to news organisations before the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal, showed people resembling senior TMC leaders receiving money in return for favours.
Alleging political vendetta, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee has that the CBI is acting at the behest of the central government to target its leaders.
(With Agency inputs)