On Thursday, Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel appeared before police in Kolkata for questioning in connection with a case of an alleged extortion call to a former Bihar lawmaker. “Samuel is at the police station and is being questioned by senior officers,” an officer at Muchipara police station.
Samuel reached the police station at around 12.30 pm and was being questioned by senior officers at Muchipara police station in the northern part of the metropolis. Samuel’s channel created a political controversy after releasing videos of a sting operation allegedly conducted by him that showed people resembling senior Trinamool Congress leaders in West Bengal receiving money.
The CBI is investigating the matter after an order from the Calcutta High Court. FIRs against 12 senior Trinamool leaders, including lawmakers and ministers and an IPS officer, have been registered. A summon was sent to Samuel by the police after a FIR in connection with the alleged extortion call to a former lawmaker of Bihar was registered at Muchipara police station.
As per the FIR, an ex-lawmaker of Bihar was asked to pay Rs. 5 crore failing which a sting operation footage of him allegedly accepting bribe would be made public. The extortion call was allegedly made from a hotel in Muchipara area of the city.
Samuel had earlier been asked to appear before the police by April 20, but he had then sought time claiming that travelling for him was prohibited as doctors had advised him complete bed rest for at least three months after a surgery.
