Narada sting operation: CBI summons Mathew Samuel, he refuses to go

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a summons to Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel to appear before its officers for questioning in its Kolkata office on 4 April in connection with its probe into the Narada sting operation case, an official said.

Describing the summons during the election time as "an act of political drama", Samuel said he would not be part of it.

The sting operation was conducted in 2014 by Samuel of Narada News, a web portal, in which some people resembling Trinamool Congress ministers, MPs and MLAs were seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of favours. The footage of the operation was made public before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The CBI emailed the summons to Samuel, who lives in Bengaluru, on Tuesday. When contacted by PTI, Samuel said, "I received an email communication from the CBI office in Kolkata informing me that I am required to appear before the SP of CBI on 4 April 2024, for the Narada case. I strongly believe that the summoning during election times is merely an act of political drama.

"If further investigation is necessary, I kindly request that directions be taken from the Calcutta High Court. I do not wish to be part of any political drama."

The CBI had issued a summons to Samuel last September in connection with the same case. He did not turn up then, stating that he would not be able to travel to Kolkata "on such short notice and also without the provision of air tickets and accommodation expenses".

On Wednesday, he said he has appeared before the CBI officers 25 to 30 times in Kolkata as well as New Delhi "at his own expense" and is "utterly disgusted with the outcome of the investigation".

"The accused individuals, ruling party leaders or opposition, are freely joining various political parties. This raises questions about the efficacy of the efforts and sacrifices made by individuals like myself," he said.