CBI arrests TMC leader Raju Sahani in chit fund case; Rs 80 lakh cash recovered

In fresh trouble for Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, TMC party leader and president of Halishahar Municipality, Raju Sahani has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday in a chit fund case. 

According to CBI sources, cash worth Rs 80 lakh was recovered from Sahani’s residence. Accounts have been traced in foreign banks and documents of property worth Rs 2.75 crore have been found.

Notably, sources informed that cash worth 80 lakh was recovered from a flat in a luxury residence in Newton which was being looked into.

Sources in the probe agency told, “A bank account in Thailand has also been traced. Documents of Property worth Rs 2.75 crores found and country made firearm and dozen live cartridges were also recovered.”

Officials said that an investigation has been initiated. Raju Sahani is said to have been arrested in connection with the investigation of a Ponzi scam. A shotgun with live cartridges was also found at his residence. Meanwhile, CBI alleges that Sahani and some others misused the funds of a company called Sanmarg Welfare Organization.

The arrest of the Halisahar Municipality chairman Raju Sahani comes at a time when the ruling TMC in West Bengal is already facing huge flak following the arrest of Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI respectively.

Mondal's bodyguard sent to 14 days of judicial custody

Recently, Anubrata Mondal's bodyguard Saigal Hossain was sent to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the cattle smuggling case, in a verdict by the Asansol Special CBI Court. He will be produced in court again on September 15.

The central agency on August 31 conducted raids at about 62 properties across West Bengal. In the search, over 24 properties associated with Anubrata Mondal are under the CBI scanner and 26 more allegedly linked to the TMC leader's daughter are also being scanned.

Partha Chatterjee's bail prayer rejected 

On the other hand, the PMLA special court on August 31 rejected the bail prayer of arrested former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and remanded him to judicial custody for 14 more days. The PMLA court also extended the judicial remand of Chatterjee's associate Arpita Mukherjee for 14 days.

The extension of judicial remand of the duo till September 14 was ordered by Judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu on a prayer by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which is probing the alleged money trail in the School Service Commission appointments scam.