TheCentral Bureau of Investigation arrested two Trinamool Congress ministers --Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, apart from former Trinamool Minister andpresent MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Corporation Mayor SovonChattopadhyay in the Narada sting tapes cases where several politicians and ahigh-ranked police officer were allegedly found accepting cash bribes inexchange for providing unofficial favours to the company.
Thepremiere agency that has already prepared the chargesheet in the case is likelyto produce all four before the court on Monday.
"Theyhave not given any notice and now they have arrested me. They didn't even seekthe permission of the Speaker. We will fight it in the court," StateTransport Minister and former Kolkata Mayor Firhad hakim told the media afterhe was arrested from his Chetla home in South Kolkata earlier in the day.
Alongwith Hakim three others were brought to the CBI regional office at Nizam Palacein the morning. Sources in CBI said that they were also arrested.
TheCBI officers with large central forces went to the houses of the leaders andthe ministers in the morning at around 9.30 a.m. and brought to the regionaloffice without even allowing them to speak to their lawyers.
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Sourcesin the agency said that all of them were made to sit in separate rooms on the15th floor of the office and they were allowed to consult their lawyers.
Thoughquestions have been raised about the arrest of two cabinet ministers withoutthe permission of the Speaker, the CBI officials said that they had sought thepermission of the Governor and Jagdeep Dhankar had given them the permission toprosecute.
"Wewill appeal for the bail," one of the lawyers said.
Thearrests obviously attracted controversy because Governor Dhankar has accordedsanction of prosecution to the premiere agency just few hours before the oathtaking ceremony of the ministers.
"Theplea for sanction was made a little before MCC came into being. I thought it asan act of propriety that at that point of time I should not be giving attentionto the matter.
"Themoment the poll process was over, the matter engaged my attention because suchissues should not be delayed and so I acted and you know the results.
"Ascoming to issues on people taking oath in respect of whom sanctions forprosecution has been afforded is a matter of propriety to be taken not by thosewho make a request to the governor to appoint them," the governor hadsaid.
ChiefMinister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the CBI regional office to speak to hercabinet ministers.
Thechief minister appeared angry as she entered the CBI office and met herleaders.
Lawyerspresent on the floor said that the chief minister questioned the CBI officersabout the legality of the arrests of the ministers and even said that she wouldwait till the end until there is a proper conclusion to the whole incident.
"TheBJP is taking a vindictive stance. Why are Suvendu and Mukul, who are alsoaccused in the Narada case, not arrested? They are trying to take revenge fortheir defeat. We will fight the case in the court," senior Trinamoolleader Saugata Roy said.
Thearrests created huge controversy and protests all over the city as theTrinamool Congress supporters breaking the lockdown norms blocked the road infront of Nizam Palace and several other places in the city.
Theydemanded immediate release of the leaders. Large number of central forcescordoned off Nizam Palace and nobody was allowed to enter the area.