High drama ensued in the capital city of West Bengal hours after the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested three leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress and a former party leader in connection with the Narada sting case. Trinamool workers gathered outside the CBI office, defying the COVID-19 induced lockdown. The CBI arrested Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee and Madan Mitra as well as former party leader Sovan Chatterjee in Kolkata in connection with the Narada bribery case this morning. As the news of the arrest went public, TMC workers protested outside the CBI office in the city while raising slogans. Slowly, the crowd swelled and some of the protesters started to pelt stones on the security forces guarding the CBI building.

A video from the site also shows Central forces charging batons in order to control the crowd. West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar took note of the incident and urged the Bengal government to resolve the law and order situation. “Invited attention of CM Mamata Banerjee on the incidents of arson and pelting of stones at the CBI office. Pathetic that Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police are just onlookers. Appeal to you to act and restore law and order situation,” said Dhankhar.

Meanwhile, the CBI today said that the case was registered on the order of the Calcutta High Court and four arrests were made today. “CBI arrested 4 then (2016) ministers – Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovhan Chatterjee of West Bengal Government in the case related to the Narada sting operation. CBI had registered an instant case on April 16, 2017, on orders of Calcutta High Court. It was alleged that then public servants were caught on camera while receiving illegal gratification from the sting operator,” said RC Joshi, Chief Information Officer of the CBI.

The CBI has also submitted its charge sheet against the five accused persons. IPS officer SMH Meerza, who is out on bail, is the fifth accused in the case.