Kolkata: The multimillion rupees chit-fund scam that hit the state in March last year, has become a major concern for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state.
With 38 of 42 constituencies yet to go to polls, the scam has again hit the headlines, as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) — agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime — is on the verge of questioning number of state government ministers over their alleged involvement.
ED has already arrested the second wife of Saradha boss Sudipta Sen, and Shubhojit, his son by his first wife, who had been absconding for a year. Interrogating them has led to the many unanswered questions about the crime, especially where the money is actually being hidden.
Sources inform that the state police, though officially claimed to have not found the two, were actually hiding their existence from the agency, to protect the political bigwigs from coming under investigation especially during election time.
The Supreme Court of India, which is also hearing a plea on demand for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is supposed to give its final verdict on Thursday, the day the state goes for second round of polls. The state has been vehemently opposing a CBI investigation, calling it “politically motivated”.
The Special Investigation team, set by the state claims to be on the verge of completing the investigation, however, they could not justify the million of rupees that were still missing. The state told the court that 209 Saradha-owned properties have been seized. The estimated value of it would be Rs5 billion (Dh304 million).
Based on confiscated Saradha software, it appears the now-bust company had mobilised Rs24.60 billion from Bengal. Only Rs4.75 billion was paid back to depositors and the Saradha agents earned another 30 per cent as commission. The probe has failed to track down the missing Rs19.85 billion.
The entire opposition, including Congress vice-president, Rahul Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi and the Communist parties have attacked the state government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of trying to protect the real accused.
Banerjee in her defence has claimed that it was Communist Party of India-Marxist who is responsible, and the Centre is raising this issue at the time of the elections to defeat her.
“Let them send me to jail,” Banerjee thundered in an election rally.
“It is a political conspiracy and people of the state will answer on my behalf through the ballot box,” she said.
