BJP hits back at TMC over allegations of 'misuse of CBI'

"TMC senior members are under arrest or being questioned by the central agency for their involvement in the Saradha ponzi scheme scam. The question BJP would like to ask Mamata Banerjee is why is she portraying TMC a victim of BJP sponsored conspiracy? The larger question in your mind is 'if he sings to CBI then what will happen'?" the BJP said.
  
BJP secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said in a statement that state minister Madan Mitra is close to Banerjee and Sudipto Sen and knows enough on Saradha scam.
  
He said the CBI probe was ordered by the Supreme Court when BJP was not in power. "In order to divert the scam issue you are doubting the investigation and casting aspersion on the apex court," he said.
  
Singh also questioned the Left and the Congress for supporting the TMC in Parliament.
    

Source: Chhattisgarh News in Hindi and MP News in Hindi

Kunal Ghosh admitted to jail hospital

"Kunal's condition is certainly not good and he has been taken to the hospital inside the Presidency
Correctional Home where he is lodged," Safwi said when questioned on reports of the former
TMC leader's deteriorating health condition.
  
"You cannot expect somebody who has been staying at a correctional home for months to be in sound health," he stated.  

A team of doctors from the state-run SSKM hospital was keeping an eye on Ghosh, though the medical-report did not suggest anything alarming, the minister said.

"Doctors from the SSKM are looking after him. And as per the medical report, which was issued two days back, there is nothing alarming," Safwi said.

Last month, Ghosh, who was the CEO of Saradha's media wing, had allegedly attempted suicide inside his cell by taking an overdose of sleeping pills.

Ghosh had threatened to end his life if the CBI failed to take action against others involved in the
scam.

Source: Chhattisgarh Hindi News and MP Hindi News

Saradha gone, website remains

The website www.saradhagroup.biz can be accessed on the Internet.

It begins with a message: "Saradha Group of companies has brought in a new renaissance for better development of the country. We always give more importance for the development of the community, along with education and social upgradation. We give priority to moral values."
  
It is 20 months since the chit fund company closed down, leaving lakhs of investors, mainly from rural Bengal, cheated of their life's savings following which Saradha Group chairman Sudipto Sen was arrested from Kashmir in April, last year.

"We will look into the matter how the website is still there on the web," an official of CBI, which is probing the fraud, said when asked.

"It might be that the agency which has created the website, has been paid the money. We have to look into it," he said.
 
The website has the address and contact numbers and email IDs of 69 branch offices of Saradha Group spread across West Bengal, Tripura, Odisha, Assam and New Delhi.  

The home page opens with the message "You Wish We Fulfill" and an introduction about Saradha's journey which began 12 years ago.

It also mentions the group of companies that Saradha had floated.
  
They are: Saradha Construction, Saradha Realty, Landmark Cement, Saradha Agro, Saradha Education Hub, Saradha Tea Estate, Saradha Health resorts, Saradha Tours & Travels, Saradha Shopping Mall and Saradha Exports.

It went on to say, "Several other prolific ventures would soon come up to see the daylight. The group is driven by innovation, quality, excellence, and a social conscience."

Source: Chhattisgarh Hindi News and MP Hindi News

Saradha scam: CBI questions former Assam Health Minister

CBI sources said Sarma was asked to appear before the Special Investigation Team headed by Joint Director Rajiv Singh at the CGO Complex in Kolkata.

Sarma, who appeared in the morning, is being questioned for his purported proximity with Saradha group chief Sudipta Sen, the sources said.

The agency might also ask him about his alleged role in allowing Saradha to spread its network in Assam and his alleged involvement in business activities of the ponzi company under probe, they said.

Sarma was a powerful minister in the Tarun Gogoi Cabinet since 2001 but was dropped by the Chief Minister after he spearheaded a campaign to dislodge Gogoi.

The agency had searched his premises in connection with the scam probe along with former minister Anjan Dutta, who was recently questioned as well, and singer Sadananda Gogoi, who has been arrested by CBI.

There are four FIRs against Saradha Group in which it is alleged that thousands of investors were allegedly duped by company officials and their associates who swindled their deposits.

Besides, there are 44 FIRs in Odisha against ponzi companies.

The Supreme Court had handed over the Saradha chit fund scam probe to CBI and asked the State governments to provide all logistical help to the CBI team investigating the matter.

CBI has formed a Special Investigating Team headed by Joint Director Rajiv Singh to probe the role of Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and RBI.

Source: MP News in Hindi and Chhattisgarh Hindi News