TMC cries bias after no charges against Adhikari | Economic Times

The names of two BJP MLAs –– Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy –– also accused in the Narada case, did not find a mention in the CBI’s chargesheet on Monday, igniting a political controversy in Bengal.Political commentators were of the opinion that their exit from the party and their taking refuge under the “BJP umbrella” prevented their arrests. TMC leaders, however, claimed that they should also be arrested.Political experts observed that the CBI’s treatment showed lack of neutrality while Suvendu’s exit was most timely as he left the party before the 2021 assembly polls. Suvendu Adhikari is now a BJP MLA from Nandigram while Mukul Roy, a newly elected MLA from Krishnanagar North, is BJP’s national vice-president.Biswanath Chakrabarty, a political commentator, said, “I think there was some kind of bias in CBI’s treatment from the beginning. The Speaker’s approval before the arrest was a prerequisite. When the government was under formation and the Speaker was not in chair, strategically, permission was taken by the CBI from the Governor.”He observed that the fact that Mukul Roy and Suvendu were not arrested clearly shows that “there was a political divide even when the accused were arrested”.TMC’s advocate Anindyo Raut said, “The arrests of TMC ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim were politically motivated and illegal. Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy have been let off though they faced the same charges.”Meanwhile, TMC minister Amit Mitra tweeted in the morning: “Utter violation of democratic norms & federalist polity by Modi-Shah-controlled CBI, arresting 2 Bengal ministers without Assembly Speaker’s permission as per protocol. Political Vendetta after outright rejection by people of Bengal. Reveals neo-fascist mindset of BJP-Sangh Parivar.”Incidentally, Mathew Samuel, the key person behind the Narada Sting operation, said: “BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had also taken money from me. It could be seen in the video. To have a proper probe, the CBI should have also arrested Suvendu. Finally, after 2016, the CBI has taken proper measures.”