Trimool's Saugata Roy 'ashamed' over sting operation

Kolkata, March 27:  In what may cause further embarrassment to West Bengal’s ruling Trimool Congress, party Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy has admitted being “saddened and ashamed” over his me getting involved in an alleged bribery scandal.

However, he also termed the sting operation conducted by the portal rada News as a “conspiracy”.

In the sting operation, several Trimool leaders including former union ministers, curent MPs and state ministers were purportedly caught accepting bribe.

“The 2016 rada sting operation... I am very saddened. I feel ashamed to tell you that my me has been involved in the sting,” Roy said a public meet in Khardaha in North 24 Pargas on Saturday.

“My answer is simple, the matter is pending before the court and it will give its verdict after its probe,” said Roy while canvassing for state Fince Minister Amit Mitra.

But he was also quick to harp on the conspiracy angle pinning the blame on the opposition.

“It’s a political conspiracy... nobody in the country is able to stomach Trimool’s progress, be it the BJP, the Congress or the CPI-M,” added Roy.

The veteran leader’s comments came a day after party MP and former railways minister Dinesh Trivedi disapproved of the way the Trimool leadership handled the mater. Replying to a query during at panel discussion organised by an industry chamber in Delhi on Friday, Trivedi had said if he were the head of the Trimool, he would have asked those shown in the purported video footage to “sit at home” till they “come out clean” in a probe. Distancing itself from Trivedi’s comments, the Trimool has sought an explation from him. (IANS)