Saradha rip-off: Salaries paid from CM aid fund, says CBI

Image Source : PTI Saradha rip-off: Salaries paid from CM aid fund, says CBI In a growth which can additional improve the political warmth in West Bengal the place Assembly polls are slated early subsequent yr, the CBI in a contempt plea within the Saradha chit fund rip-off has knowledgeable the Supreme Court that the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund of West Bengal repeatedly paid for a interval of 23 months, purportedly in direction of the salaries of workers of Tara TV which was below investigation for being a part of Saradha Group of firms. In an software, the CBI mentioned that the CM Relief fund has repeatedly paid the quantities — on the charge of Rs 27 lakh monthly — for a interval of 23 months from May 2013 to April 2015. “It is submitted that the said amounts were purportedly given towards salary payments of the employees of the said media company that was under investigation being part of group companies of Saradha Group of Companies,” mentioned the appliance. A complete of Rs 6.21 crore was paid to the Tara TV Employees Welfare Association from the Chief Minister Relief Fund of West Bengal. The CBI mentioned in an effort to additional look into the gravely suspicious funds to a personal media entity, a letter dated October 16, 2018 was written to the chief secretary, West Bengal to offer details about the structure and functioning of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Despite repeated efforts, the state authorities has parted with incomplete and evasive replies, mentioned the CBI. The CBI cited the High Court order which ordered that the “salary of the employees should be paid from the available funds” and it nowhere states that workers of a personal TV channel will be paid out of state funds collected within the title of Chief Minister’s aid work. “The Court order expressly states that the employees are to be paid out of the funds of the company. The payments from CM Relief Fund, ex-facie point towards a larger conspiracy and nexus,” mentioned the appliance. Pointing the needle of suspicion at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee within the rip-off, the CBI mentioned: “Communication between the CBI and State Authorities will show that there has been a concerted effort to evade, avoid and to escape the process of law and a conscious effort on part of the authorities to scuttle the investigation.” The CBI pointed on the examination of former Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Kumar Ghosh, one of many accused within the case, by Enforcement Directorate throughout October 2013 revealed that the Chief Minister and promoter of Saradha Group – Sudipta Sen, had excellent relationship. “It is submitted that the same establishes that the Chief Minister used to talk to Sudipta Sen using phone of Kunal Kumar Ghosh,” mentioned the appliance. The investigating company mentioned the decision element report of two numbers of Sen spanning for one yr reveals that he and Ghosh had contacted 298 instances on one quantity and 9 instances on one other quantity. Seeking custodial interrogation of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, the CBI mentioned investigation has additionally revealed that proof, which linked the ruling dispensation of West Bengal, financially and in any other case with Saradha group of firms was hid by the Bidhannagar police below stewardship of Kumar, in an effort to defend and save everybody involved. Ghosh’s examination as witness by the Enforcement Directorate, throughout October 2013, revealed that respondent Kumar was in energetic contact with officers of ED throughout the course of examination of arrested accused individuals, Sudipta Sen, Debjani Mukherjee or of witnesses Ghosh and others carried out by the Enforcement Directorate throughout September to November 2013. “It was ensured by the officials that grave facts narrated by these accused persons or witnesses must not be taken on record as part of investigation with a purpose to shield the influential persons,” mentioned the CBI. The CBI mentioned extra proof has emerged substantiating additional the energetic connivance of Kumar, the then Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar, in shielding and defending the influential co-accused individuals who had promoted the unlawful enterprise actions of the group of Ponzi firms and benefited from the illegally collected funds. The CBI additionally cited examination of Safiqur Rehman, an worker of Saradha group of firms. “It is submitted that as per the said statement (by Rehman), when the Chief Minister, West Bengal contested for MLA seat, Sudipta Sen was forced to sponsor all the Pujas of Bhawanipur, Kolkata. Rehman further stated that ‘Jangalmahal’ project was flagged off by Chief Minister, West Bengal in a ceremony held at Writers Building, Kolkata,” mentioned the appliance. In 2013, throughout Kumar’s tenure because the Bidhannagar police commissioner, the rip-off was unearthed. Kumar was a part of the SIT arrange by state authorities to probe the rip-off, earlier than the highest courtroom handed over the investigation to CBI in 2014. The prime courtroom, in November final yr, had sought the response of the IPS officer on the CBI’s attraction in opposition to the anticipatory bail granted to Kumar within the case by the Calcutta High Court. Latest India News