Narada Scam: HC Lets WB CM File New Affidavits With Rs 5k Fine

The Supreme Court had asked for fresh pleas for filing new affidavits over violence outside CBI office.

(Photo: The Quint)

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 30 June allowed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to file fresh affidavits in the Narada case narrating her government's version on the alleged violent protests outside the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last month following the arrest of three leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Banerjee, along with state law minister Moloy Ghatak had filed fresh applications for their Narada case affidavits on Monday.

However, the court allowed the applications which were subject to payment of Rs. 5,000/- by each of the applicants. It also granted the CBI 10 days to file its reply.

The Supreme Court last week had directed Banerjee to file fresh pleas while asking the HC to reconsider taking the affidavits on record.

Why the Fresh Applications?

The application came after the Supreme Court had asked the Calcutta High Court to accept the affidavits in the case. The court, however, had asked Banerjee the reason behind the delay in filing applications despite the case being heard since 27 May.

The Calcutta High Court on 9 June had refused to accept the reply-affidavits of Banerjee and Ghatak after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the court that they cannot be accepted on the ground of delay as they were filed after the completion of his arguments, IANS reported.

Banerjee and Ghatak had then moved the Supreme Court which had set aside the Calcutta High Court order refusing to accept the affidavits.

The apex court had also asked the High Court to decide on affidavits filed by the ministers first before deciding on the CBI plea seeking transfer of the case, according to IANS.

The Case

Violence had erupted outside the Kolkata CBI office on 17 May after four TMC leaders - ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and former mayor of Kolkata Sovan Chatterjee - were arrested by the CBI, which is investigating the Narada sting tape case.

The CBI has sought for transferring the case outside West Bengal, citing attempts to influence probe due to involvement of several TMC leaders.

The CBI had made Banerjee and Ghatak parties to the Narada case, claiming they had influenced the agency's operation and the CBI court's verdict by visiting the CBI office in Kolkata when leaders were arrested.

(With inputs from IANS)