Kolkata: Mukul Roy, former All-India general secretary of TMC, is unlikely to be named in the charge sheet by the Central of Investigations (CBI) in relation to the Saradha scam.
“Investigations into the scam have not revealed anything to charge him,” an investigating officer told Gulf News.
Roy was earlier summoned by the CBI for questioning on January 30, for the first time since the scam broke. Many of the accused, including Kunal Ghosh and the prime accused Sudipto Sen, had named him during the interrogation. Sources have informed that none of the other two central agencies probing the scam — Serious Fraud Investigation Office and the Enforcement Directorate — has found evidence of Roy’s involvement in the scam.
However, this revelation has fuelled speculation of a deal between Roy and the Bharatiya Janata Party, expecting him to join the party soon.
“We have repeatedly said that all the arrests made by the CBI are politically motivated,” State Education Minister Partha Chantterjee said.
If given a clean chit in the biggest financial scam to hit West Bengal, Roy can be a potential asset to any party willing to capture power in the state. It is under his leadership that the TMC cadre base has turned into a well-oiled machinery from a group of unruly rabble rousers.
While Mamata Banerjee was busy stripping her trusted aide of all party positions, Roy was in touch with the top BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making arrangements to shift base.
The timing could also be perfect, as the recent civic polls have shown that in spite of the sudden rise in vote share during last year’s parliamentary elections, the state leadership of the party has failed to retain the support base it had created mostly riding on the Modi wave. A reshuffle within the state unit is apparent, which could lead to the creation of a post for Roy.
Apparently, some senior BJP leaders have shown interest in Roy to address the organisational weaknesses in West Bengal. However, a decision is not quick in coming, due to the strong reservations of the state BJP leadership.
The biggest difficulty for the TMC is that Roy has not spoken a single word against the party or its supreme leadership. On the contrary, he has maintained a stoic silence and insists that he is still a part of the TMC.
“He [Roy] has always been a cool customer and never shows his cards to the opponents. But when he finally plays his cards, it may prove difficult for the party,” a TMC core committee member said.
