The CBI on Monday carried out searches at the offices of three Securities and Exchange Board of India officials in connection with their alleged role in saving Saradha Ponzi scheme scam operators, news agency PTI reported, citing officials. However, the names of the three officers have been withheld, they said.
There are multiple FIRs against the Saradha Group in West Bengal, in which it has been alleged that thousands of investors were allegedly duped by company officials and their associates who swindled their deposits. The incident took West Bengal by storm and generated great controversy since several leaders of ruling Trinamool Congress were said to have been allegedly involved with the scam.
Last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned two Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, Madan Mitra and Vivek Gupta, in connection with the multi-crore chit fund scam. Both Mitra and Gupta have been fielded as TMC candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
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The central agency also summoned another former TMC MP, Ahmed Hassan Imran, and two former IPS officers, Rajat Majumdar and Surajit Kar Purkayastha, in connection with the same case on March 24 and 25. Earlier last week, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh was summoned. It is to be noted that Ghosh and Mitra had earlier been arrested in connection with the incident but were later released on bail.
{{/usCountry}}The central agency also summoned another former TMC MP, Ahmed Hassan Imran, and two former IPS officers, Rajat Majumdar and Surajit Kar Purkayastha, in connection with the same case on March 24 and 25. Earlier last week, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh was summoned. It is to be noted that Ghosh and Mitra had earlier been arrested in connection with the incident but were later released on bail.
{{/usCountry}}Among other prominent leaders, Mukul Roy, then a TMC MP and a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, had initially been named in the case and was being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In 2017, he joined the BJP. Presently, the ED has asked him to submit details of all the bank accounts that he and his wife have been in possession of since 2013.
The Supreme Court had handed over the Saradha chit fund scam probe to the CBI and asked the state governments concerned to provide all logistical help to the agency team investigating the matter.
(With inputs from PTI)