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A CBI sting for Mamata

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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC leader Mukul Roy, UNI

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With the Calcutta High Court ordering a probe by the same agency into the Narada sting, is another fight brewing between Modi and the West Bengal CM? 

By Sujit Bhar

With the BJP sweeping polls in Uttar Pradesh and then cleverly annexing Goa and Manipur as well – Uttarakhand was also a clear win for BJP – the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of West Bengal and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were in a state of flux and apparent shock. Mamata saw the dream of a “secular opposition” collapse like a pack of cards and the defection to the BJP of its only MLA in Manipur did not help matters.

Now, suddenly, a scandal from the past has resurfaced, hitting the party hard. The Calcutta High Court has ordered a CBI probe into a sting operation carried out last year by a private online news portal (Narada News), against 14 TMC members, MPs, ministers and even a senior police official close to the party head honchos.

On March 17, the court directed the CBI to investigate the 2016 sting operation. The instruction of a three-day time limit to the CBI for a preliminary report was given by a bench of Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty. The bench also gave the police 24 hours (which ends on March 18) to hand over all documents pertaining to the case to the CBI.

The court has been moved by three PILs filed before it on this issue last year, seeking an independent inquiry into the overall sting operation.

Mamata has reacted with usual panache, saying that she was ready to go to the Supreme Court in this issue, if needs be. She has been reported as saying: “Everyone knows that the sting was published from the BJP office. We are going to the higher court against the Calcutta High Court order.”

Minister Madan Mitra who was jailed for his hand in the Saradha chit fund scam is also an accused

Minister Madan Mitra who was jailed for his hand in the Saradha chit fund scam is also an accused

The sting operation had little effect on the elections, with Mamata coming back to power with an even bigger mandate. One minister was jailed thereafter (Madan Mitra), having been released on bail only recently, but he was arrested because of his association with the Saradha chit fund scam. Also in jail is senior TMC leader Mukul Roy, also associated with the Saradha scam. The Narada sting has yet to affect any TMC leader or operative. However, with the CBI taking over the investigation, things could turn out very different for Mamata.

Mamata has always maintained that the CBI is under the control of the central government, and her recent spat with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left the central leadership angry. If the centre does want to influence the investigation, then manipulating the CBI would be easy. That will leave the TMC with no backdoor exit.

If the sting was indeed made to destabilise the state government before the elections, its repercussions now might have a larger effect on the party and its leadership, especially on Mamata, who has been known to be the only “untainted” leader.

This court order could open doors to further embarrassment for the party.

THE STING

Midway through 2016, and just before the assembly elections in West Bengal, TMC and Mamata were shocked to find the video of a sting operation in the media. Done by Narada News, a private online channel owned and operated by “journalist” Mathew Samuel, a number of videos were circulated to leading media houses.

The video showed 14 members of TMC, including top MPs, ministers, activists and even a senior police officer accepting wads of currency notes totalling nearly Rs 70 lakhs with the promise of future favours. Offering the “bribes” was Samuel, pretending to be a businessman from Chennai who wanted to apparently speed up operations when his fake company starts operations in the state.

A video grab of the sting

A video grab of the sting

The timing of the release of the video – just before elections – was a critical angle, because Samuel had later admitted that the videos with a hidden camera were shot quite some time back. Parties in opposition in West Bengal, including the Congress, the CPI (M) and the BJP, had demanded a CBI probe into the matter and the Calcutta High Court had taken the matter into consideration, following the three PILs filed before it.

An appeal from the TMC to hold onto the matter till elections were over was rejected by the High Court bench of the then Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee and it directed Narada News to submit the video footage of its sting.

Caught on video taking “bribes” were TMC MPs Saugata Roy, Suvendu Adhikari, Sultan Ahmed, Aparupa Poddar, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Prasun Banerjee, state ministers Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Madan Mitra, Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, MLA Iqbal Ahmed and senior IPS officer SMH Mirza. 

ALSO READ: Stinging the Trinamool Congress [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

PM Modi says every noble attempt for peace with Pakistan met with hostility, betrayal

Modi also expressed empathy for the people of Pakistan, stating that they too must yearn for peace, tired of living amidst strife, unrest, and relentless terror.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a candid podcast with Lex Fridman released on Sunday, March 16, expressed his disappointment over Pakistan’s response to India’s peace initiatives, stating that every attempt to improve bilateral ties was met with hostility and betrayal. He expressed hope that wisdom would prevail among Pakistan’s leadership to choose the path of peace.

Recalling his early efforts to mend relations, Modi mentioned inviting then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony in 2014 as a gesture of goodwill. “It was a diplomatic gesture unlike any in decades. Even those who questioned my foreign policy approach were surprised. Our former President Pranab Mukherjee beautifully captured this historic moment in his memoir,” Modi said.

However, he lamented that the desired outcome was not achieved. “Every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal. We sincerely hope that wisdom prevails upon them, and they choose the path of peace,” he added. Modi also expressed empathy for the people of Pakistan, stating that they too must yearn for peace, tired of living amidst strife, unrest, and relentless terror.

On U.S.-India relations and President Trump

Modi also spoke about his strong bond with U.S. President Donald Trump, describing him as a leader who prioritizes national interests, much like himself. He praised Trump’s courage and decisiveness, recalling how the U.S. President sat among the audience during the ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston in 2019 while Modi addressed the crowd.

“That was his humility. The President of the United States sitting in the audience while I spoke from the stage—it was a remarkable gesture,” Modi said. He also shared a memorable moment when Trump agreed to walk through the packed stadium to greet the audience, despite concerns from his security team. “His entire security detail was thrown off guard, but that moment showed his courage and trust in me. It was a testament to the strong bond between us,” Modi added.

Reflecting on Trump’s resilience, Modi highlighted the U.S. President’s dedication to his country, even after being shot during the election campaign last year. “Even after being shot, he remained unwavering in his commitment to America. His ‘America First’ spirit resonates with my ‘India First’ approach. That’s why we connect so well,” Modi said.

He also commended Trump’s preparedness in his second term, noting that the U.S. President has a clear roadmap and a capable team to implement his vision. Modi mentioned meeting key members of Trump’s administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and tech mogul Elon Musk.

Modi emphasized that politicians are often perceived through the lens of media coverage, which can create misunderstandings. “People rarely get the chance to truly meet or personally know one another. Perhaps third-party intervention is the real cause of tensions,” he said, advocating for direct engagement and mutual understanding among global leaders.

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Entertainment

Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas spotted together again, reigniting dating rumors

Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas were seen together for the second time in London, adding fuel to ongoing romance speculation. The Hollywood stars have yet to address the dating rumors.

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Tom Cruise, Ana de Armas, Hollywood actors, celebrity dating rumors, London Heliport, entertainment news

Hollywood actors Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas have once again sparked romance rumors after being seen together in London. The duo was spotted arriving at the London Heliport on the evening of March 14, marking their second public outing in recent weeks.

According to reports, the two actors appeared relaxed and comfortable in casual attire, engaging in lively conversations and laughter with the heliport staff. Their recent joint appearances have intensified speculation about a possible romantic relationship.

Tom and Ana’s growing closeness

The romance rumors initially began circulating over Valentine’s Day weekend last month when Tom and Ana were first photographed together. The duo was seen walking through London’s Soho neighborhood, with Ana carrying takeout food. They also stopped to interact with fans and pose for photographs, further fueling dating speculations.

Neither Tom, who has been filming a movie in England directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, nor Ana have addressed these rumors. In a recent encounter with Spanish media in Madrid, Ana declined to comment when asked whether her outing with Tom was personal or work-related.

Past relationships and media interest

Ana de Armas has been linked to Tinder executive Paul Boukadakis in 2023 and previously dated actor Ben Affleck from 2020 to 2021. Tom Cruise, on the other hand, has maintained a relatively private personal life in recent years.

As of now, representatives for both actors have not responded to requests for comments on their relationship status. However, their recent outings together continue to keep fans and media buzzing with speculation.

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India News

BJP appoints district presidents for UP’s 68 district, check names here, CM Yogi Adityanath extends congratulations

BJP has released the list of new district presidents for 68 districts in Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the appointees.

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After nearly two months of internal deliberations, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the names of its district and metropolitan presidents in Uttar Pradesh. The declaration, made by district election officers, marks a shift from the traditional practice of releasing a consolidated list from Lucknow. The appointments coincide with the BJP’s statewide “Organisation Festival 2025” celebrations.

Key appointments in major cities

In Lucknow, Anand Dwivedi has been appointed as the new Metropolitan President, while Vijay Maurya takes over as District President. Rajkumar Gupta has been named as Metropolitan President in Agra, with Prashant Poonia appointed as the District President. Meanwhile, Akash Pal has been reappointed as District President in Moradabad, and Girish Bhandula, a textile trader, will serve as Metropolitan President.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extends congratulations

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the newly appointed BJP office-bearers on social media. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed confidence in their ability to strengthen the party’s organisation and contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of security and good governance in the state.

Full list of newly appointed BJP district and metropolitan presidents in UP

So far, 68 out of 98 organisational districts have received new appointments, with the remaining positions expected to be announced soon.

District-wise BJP presidents in Uttar Pradesh:

Bulandshahr: Vikas Chauhan (Repeat)

Etawah: Annu Gupta

Ghazipur: Om Prakash Rai

Lalitpur: Harishchandra Rawat

Amethi: Sudhanshu Shukla

Agra (Metropolitan): Rajkumar Gupta

Agra (District): Prashant Poonia

Moradabad (District): Akash Pal (Repeat)

Moradabad (Metropolitan): Girish Bhandula

Kasganj: Neeraj Sharma

Ghaziabad (Metropolitan): Mayank Goyal

Lucknow (District): Vijay Maurya

Maharajganj: Sanjay Pandey

Unnao: Anurag

Raebareli: Buddhi Lal

Noida & Gautam Buddha Nagar (District): Abhishek Sharma

Noida (Metropolitan): Mahesh Chauhan

Lucknow (Metropolitan): Anand Dwivedi

Sonbhadra: Nandlal Gupta

Meerut (Metropolitan): Vivek Rastogi

Gorakhpur (District): Janardan Tiwari

Gorakhpur (Metropolitan): Devesh Srivastava

Azamgarh: Dhruv Singh

Lalganj: Vinod Rajbhar

Basti: Vivekanand Mishra

Bhadohi: Deepak Mishra

Kanpur South: Shivram Singh

Pratapgarh: Ashish Srivastava (Repeat)

Rampur: Harish Gangwar

Mainpuri: Mamta Rajput

Farrukhabad: Fateh Chandra Verma

Mathura (District): Nirbhay Pandey

Mathura (Metropolitan): Raju Yadav

Bahraich: Brajesh Pandey (Repeat)

Sultanpur: Sushil Tripathi

Auraiya: Sarvesh Katheria

Balrampur: Ravi Mishra

Gonda: Amar Kishore Kashyap

Shravasti: Mishri Lal Verma

Kanpur North (Metropolitan): Anil Dixit

Kanpur Dehat: Renuka Sachan

Kanpur Rural: Upendra Nath Paswan

Kannauj: Veer Kumar Singh Bhadauria

Sant Kabir Nagar: Neetu Singh

Maharajganj (Alternate Mention): Ashok alias Sanjay Pandey

Mau: Ramashray Maurya

Ballia: Sanjay Mishra

Prayagraj (Ganga-Paar region): Nirmala Paswan

Prayagraj (Yamuna-Paar region): Rajesh Shukla

Prayagraj (Metropolitan): Sanjay Gupta

Machhlishahr: Ajay Kumar Singh

Mahoba: Mohanlal Kushwaha

Chitrakoot: Mahendra Kotarya

The remaining district presidents will be announced in the coming days.

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