The Calcutta High Court on Friday granted interim bail to two arrested ministers of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet, one legislator and another former TMC leader in connection with the Narada bribery case. The bail was granted citing the present pandemic situation in the state. Pronouncing the judgement, the five-member bench said, “We grant them interim bail with certain conditions and hear the main matter as it will take a week or so. Also the lockdown in West Bengal has been extended.” Meanwhile, the CBI has contended saying, if the accused get bail, they can influence the proceedings. The four politicians accused in the case are two sitting ministers of Mamata Banerjee-led government — Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee — and TMC legislators — Madan Mitra and former MLA Sovan Chatterjee. According to the case, the sting operation was conducted by one Narada News in West Bengal, showing around 12 then TMC ministers, leaders and an IPS officer were allegedly caught accepting bribes. The stint operations tapes were released in the case to expose the accused persons before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections.
