CBI starts inquiry into Narada sting operation tapes

NEW DELHI: The CBI has registered a preliminary inquiry in connection with the Narada sting tapes in which several Trinamool Congress members were allegedly caught on camera taking money.

The preliminary enquiry (PE) has been registered following the directions of a division bench of the

Calcutta HC

, comprising of acting Chief

Justice

Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborti. The bench, on March 17, directed the CBI to register the PE and submit its report before the court.

The agency has also collected documents related to the alleged sting operation and examined some leaders, CBI sources said.

The bench noted that a report by the central forensic science laboratory (CFSL) in Chandigarh, had said that the tapes were untampered.

Mathew Samuel

, editor of Narada News, had told the court that the recordings were done using an iPhone, which were transferred to a laptop and then stored in a pen drive.

A committee, set by the high court, had taken possession of all the devices.

Passing the order, the court also observed that CBI was the most suitable agency for conducting an independent probe into the matter.