Delhi Police release Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel

After arriving at IGI Airport from Dubai, the Immigration department held him as the Kolkata Police issued a lookout notice against him and handed him over to the IGI Police Station later.

A Delhi Police official told IBNS he has been released.

Meanwhile, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, comprising of Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee, on Friday issued an interim stay order on the Kolkata Police's ongoing investigation into Narada sting operation, till next hearing on Aug 19.

Since March 14, news portal- Narada News- released several sting operation footage, where TMC's leaders, ministers, MPs and MLAs were exposed while allegedly taking bribes.

From the beginning, TMC leaderships had claimed that the sting footage was doctored and conspiracy of oppositions.   

Following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's direction, Kolkata Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, had started investigation into the matter.

It already quizzed senior IPS officer S. M. H. Mirza and Kolkata Deputy Mayor Iqbal Ahmed, and summoned Narada News's CEO Mathew Samuel thrice.

As Samuel avoided visiting Kolkata Police's headquarters Lalbazar, a look out notice was issued against him, a senior official of KP told IBNS.

"As Mathew Samuel avoided all summons, a look out notice was issued against him. As the Calcutta High Court has ordered a stay on the probe, we communicated with Delhi Police and urged them to release Mathew Samuel immediately," the officer said.

Samuel's counsel Arunabha Ghosh told IBNS that they would file a contempt of court case against the Kolkata Police.

"Kolkata Police ignored honourable High Court's order. We will file a contempt of court suit against Kolkata Police Commissioner and Home Secretary as well," Ghosh said.

No reaction has been received from Mathew Samuel so far.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)