A Calcutta High Court division bench, headed by justice Nishita Mhatre, dubbed West Bengal police a 'puppet' while handing over investigation into the Narada sting operation to the CBI.
“The allegation against powerful people is grave. It can't be investigated by an agency which is nothing but puppet of the state government,” the court observed on Friday. The case was handed over to the investigating agency despite the argument of state's counsel Kalyan Banerjee against such a move.
Six senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including three cabinet ministers, were found accepting bribe in a sting operation which was broadcasted just ahead of the assembly election in West Bengal last year.
In August, a petition was filed in the HC, urging the court to hand over the case to the CBI.
The court had got the tapes authenticated by a lab test in Chandigarh and found them genuine.
