Published 10:49 IST, December 12th 2020
Saradha chit fund scam haunts miffed Suvendu Adhikari ahead of West Bengal polls
Estranged TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari has written to CBI demanding a probe into the letter by Saradha chief Sudipta Sen accusing him in the chit fund scam.
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As the poll season approaches in West Bengal, clashes between supporters of two parties, and internal chaos within parties have begun. Another significant comeback ahead of high-octane Bengal polls is the news about the Saradha chit fund scam. As per reports, miffed TMC neta Suvendu Adhikari has written to CBI stating that jailed Saradha chief Sudipta Sen had written to PM Modi and WB CM Mamata Banerjee and had accused him (Adhikari) falsely. Sudipta Sen reportedly wrote letter in the first week of December and named five leaders, including Adhikari, BJP's Mukul Roy, Congress' Adhir Chowdhury, CPM's Sujan Chakraborty, and Biman Bose, claiming that they took money from him.
Saradha chit fund scam that came into fore in 2013 and led to the famous CBI versus Kolkata Police incident in 2019, wherein Mamata Banerjee sided with her state Police. Adhikari who is named in Saradha scam and has been questioned twice said that Sen had written the letter just days before he quit. Seeking the CBI director's necessary action, Adhikari said, "It is my genuine apprehension that there exist suspicious circumstances behind writing of such letter by accused Sudipta Sen under duress and influence of jail authorities in connivance with very influential persons."
What is Saradha Chit fund Scam?
Saradha Chit fund scam is related to a Ponzi scheme set up by Saradha Group led by businessman Sudipto Sen in the early 2000s. A few years later, a large sum of money was raised by the Saradha group. In 2009, the fraudulent ways by which the company raised money started exploding. With the SEBI's actions, the scheme collapsed by 2013 and the owner fled writing a letter that accused several politicians of making poor investments. Many Trinamool MPs are speculated to be a part of the scam.
The Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was heading the SIT formed by WB Government to probe the Saradha Chit fund case. In February, a team of CBI officials arrived at Rajeev Kumar's residence to arrest him. Drama in the case began from that point as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached the location and opposed the arrest of the Police Commissioner by the CBI. Claiming it an attack on 'Constitution', Mamata Banerjee sat on a night-long 'dharna'. Rajeev Kumar is currently West Bengal CID Additional Director General. The CBI started probe against Kumar after suggesting that the SIT team including Kumar has been evasive to CBI questioning regarding the missing pieces of evidence during one year of SIT probe.
10:49 IST, December 12th 2020