Mathew Samuel at Kolkata airport on Thursday. Subham Dutta
NARADA NEWS CEO Mathew Samuel on Thursday appeared before Kolkata Police for questioning in connection with a case of an alleged extortion call made to a former Bihar MP. Samuel reached the Muchipara police station around 12.30 pm and was only released after being questioned for eight hours, said sources in the police. He was asked to appear before the officers again on Friday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, Samuel, after arriving at the Kolkata airport, said: “I have got summons from the Muchipara police station, the ED and the CBI… Because of health reasons I could not come earlier…”
“After Muchipara police station, I will go to Lalbazar (city police headquarters) because it has issued a lookout notice against me, which means I cannot travel anywhere,” he said in connection to the Narada sting probe being conducted by the CBI. “After that, I will go to CBI then ED. Let’s see what happens,” he said.
Police had summoned Samuel after an FIR in connection with the alleged extortion call to a former Bihar MP was registered at Muchipara police station. It was claimed in the FIR that the former MP was asked to pay Rs 5 crore, failing which, a video of him allegedly accepting bribe would be made public. The extortion call was allegedly made from a hotel in Muchipara. Police had raided the hotel room, seized a laptop and a mobile phone and claimed that the occupant was not in the room. The laptop allegedly had a photo that resembled Samuel.
Samuel had earlier been asked to appear before police by April 20, but sought time claiming doctors had advised him not to travel for 3 months after a surgery, said PTI.
