The placid lockdown period with the usual Covid was interrupted today with the news of the arrest of two ministers of West Bengal, Firhad(Bobby) Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee and TMC legislator Madan Mitra and the former Mayor Sovan Chattopadhyay. They were all arrested over the Narada Sting case. The charge sheets are to be filed today, and the accused produced in court today.
A peeved CM, Mamata Banerjee, first dashed to Chetla, the residence of Firhad (Bobby) and to assuage his supporters. She drove then straight to Nizam Palace, the CBI office, repeating her stoic support for her supporters at any and every time of distress. She did a similar sit in a dharna when the CBI went to the residence of her police chief Rajiv Kumar a couple of years ago. Despite the CM repeatedly show her unstinted support to her colleagues, I feel that the CM must’ve exercised restraint for a while. The lawyers should defend in the manner prescribed. The irrepressible CM has reportedly demanded her arrest as well!
The speaker of the assembly, Biman Bandopadhyay, has also remarked that the CBI has not sought his permission to arrest the legislators. Despite allegations of a political vendetta over BJP election losses, the governor followed the protocol and exercised his power under the law.
Narada sting is not limited to the four presently dragged from their homes. The sting operation also included BJP heavyweights like Suvendu Adhikari, a minister at the time of the alleged crime and Mukul Roy, who switched over to the BJP. By being selective in their arrests, the CBI once again may have harmed their reputation as they have done many times earlier. Law must be fair and equal, regardless of the party they belong to. It is not evidenced in this case so far.
The aphorism, “Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done,” must not only be forgotten but constantly reminded to the CBI. The national investigative agency must avoid theatrics as well as a purported witch-hunt!
I hope justice finally prevails!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
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