News Analysis India

Tag: Saradha scam

  • Saradha scam: ED files chargesheet against TMC’s Kunal Ghosh, scribe Suman Chattopadhyay

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), as part of its probe into the multi-crore Saradha ponzi scam, filed a supplementary chargesheet on Friday against TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh and senior journalist Suman Chattopadhyay, agency sources said.

    The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court has taken cognisance of the charges framed, the sources in the directorate said.

    “The ED has filed supplementary chargesheet against Kunal Ghosh, his company Strategy Media Plus Communications, and Suman Chattopadhyay and his companies Disha Production and Media and Ekdin Media, before the Special Judge (PMLA), Kolkata, with the prayer for awarding punishment to the accused for committing offence of money laundering and confiscation of attached assets worth Rs 96.55 crore, including Rs 2.67 crore owned by Ghosh and Rs 1.72 crore owned by Chattopadhyay,” one of the sources said.

    Chattopadhyay is also accused in the ICore chit fund scam.

    Both Ghosh and Chattopadhyay faced arrests in the past and are currently out on bail.

    Sudipto Sen, the owner of the now-defunct Saradha group, is serving his time in jail along with his aide Debjani Mukherjee.

    According to the source, Ghosh, who was the CEO of Saradha Media Group, allegedly helped Sen launder proceeds worth over Rs 2,500 crore.

    Chattopadhyay reportedly laundered money through bogus transactions via his two companies.

    The Saradha group of companies has allegedly duped lakhs of people to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore, promising higher rates of returns on their investments.

  • Saradha scam: ED summons Jorasanko TMC candidate Vivek Gupta

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the money laundering aspect of the multi-crore Saradha scam, on Thursday summoned Vivek Gupta, the Trinamool Congress candidate from Jorasanko assembly constituency.

    Sources said that Gupta has been asked to depose before ED officials on Monday.

    Meanwhile, businessman Swapan Sadhan Bose who was asked to appear on Thursday in connection with the Saradha scam, is yet to turn up at the CGO complex here, sources said.

    Former Trinamool Congress minister Madan Mitra has been asked to appear before the directorate in connection with the same scam on Friday, according to sources.

    Gupta had earlier been summoned by the economic offences wing of CBI in relation to financial transactions which had allegedly taken place between him and the Saradha group.

    Thousands of investors have been duped by the Saradha group by means of the fraudulent schemes floated by the firm.

  • Saradha scam: Enforcement Directorate summons TMC MLA, noted painter

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the money laundering aspect of the multi-crore Saradha scam, has summoned TMC MLA Samir Chakraborty and noted painter Suvaprasanna in connection with the case.

    Sources said Chakraborty has been asked to depose before ED officials on Friday, while Suvaprasanna will face interrogation next Monday.

    Thousands of investors have been duped by the Saradha group by means of the fraudulent schemes floated by the firm.

    Two years ago, Suvaprasanna was interrogated by the CBI for his alleged involvement.

    Sources in the Enforcement Directorate said Chakraborty had allegedly funded a TV channel with money received from the now-defunct Saradha group.

  • Saradha scam: SC defers hearing on CBI plea to quiz ex-police commissioner

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday deferred by two weeks the hearing on CBI’s contempt plea against former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar and others alleging non-cooperation by them in its probe into the multi-crore-rupee Saradha chit fund scam case.

    The CBI, entrusted with investigating the Ponzi scheme cases in West Bengal by the apex court, filed the contempt plea on February 4, 2019 against Kumar, former Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De and state’s DGP Virendra saying that it was not getting their cooperation in the ongoing probe.

    The agency also sought cancellation of bail granted to Kumar and his custodial interrogation as he was “evasive during questioning”.

    A bench comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna deferred the hearing by two weeks as it has been conducting final hearing into the case related to winding up of six mutual fund schemes of Franklin Templeton.

    During brief hearing, senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for one of the bureaucrats, said the agency was “reviving something which is age old”.

    “The contempt always remains alive,” said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI. “It becomes alive during elections,” said Singhvi.

    The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of people of around Rs 2,500 crore, promising higher rates of return on their investments.

    The scam was unearthed in 2013 during Kumar’s tenure as the Bidhannagar police commissioner.

    Kumar was part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the West Bengal government for probing the scam, before the Supreme Court handed over the case to the CBI in 2014 along with other chit fund cases.

    In November 2019, the apex court had sought the response of the IPS officer on the CBI’s appeal challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him in the chit fund scam by the Calcutta High Court.

    The probe agency had filed an appeal in the apex court against the October 1, 2019 order of the Calcutta High Court, which had granted Kumar the relief saying it was not an appropriate case for custodial interrogation.

    The high court had directed Kumar to cooperate with the investigating officers and make himself available before them for questioning on a 48-hour notice by the CBI.

    On September 21, 2019, a pre-arrest bail plea of the IPS officer was rejected by the Alipore District and Sessions Court in Kolkata.

    The Centre and the West Bengal government were also locked in an unprecedented standoff after a CBI team had reached Kumar’s official residence for questioning him, but had to retreat as the local police detained its officers.