WB authorities paid salaries of Saradha Group TV channel from CM’s reduction fund: CBI

West Bengal Assembly elections are scheduled for subsequent 12 months, and the current growth in Saradha Scam goes to accentuate the political warmth within the state. In a contempt plea in Saradha Chit Fund Scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation has stated within the Supreme Court that the funds from Chief Minister Relief Fund of West Bengal have been used purportedly for the salaries of workers of Tara TV that’s beneath investigation within the case.
Tara TV is part of the Saradha Group of Companies. CBI has stated that the CM Relief Fund paid Rs.27 lakh monthly for 23 months from May 2013 to April 2015 in direction of the salaries of Tara TV workers.
In its utility, the CBI stated, “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 Saradha Group of Companies.” The complete quantity clocks to Rs.6.21 crore that was paid utilizing CM Relief Fund to pay Tara TV Employees Welfare Association.
CBI has additionally reportedly talked about in its utility that that they had written to the chief secretary, West Bengal, on October 16, 2018, to offer details about the structure and functioning of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in order that the company can examine the suspicious funds additional. However, they solely acquired incomplete or evasive data from the state authorities.
High Court order didn’t ask to pay salaried from CM fund
CBI, whereas citing the High Court order when the court docket requested to pay the wage of the staff from the out there funds, stated that that order didn’t say that the salaries of the staff of a non-public TV channel could be paid utilizing the state funds that have been collected within the identify of reduction work. It stated, “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.”
Mamata Banerjee Named within the utility
The CBI attraction has hinted on the involvement of the Mamata Banerjee administration. It stated, “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.”
CBI additionally famous that when Enforcement Directorate questioned former Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Kumar Ghosh in October 2013, it was revealed that CM Banerjee and Saradha Group promoter Sudipta Sen had excellent relationships.
Ghosh can also be one of many accused within the case. CBI stated, “It is submitted that the same establishes that the Chief Minister used to talk to Sudipta Sen using the phone of Kunal Kumar Ghosh,” stated the applying. During the investigation, when CBI checked the decision particulars of two numbers of Sen for one 12 months, the company discovered that he and Ghosh talked 298 instances on one quantity and 9 instances on the second quantity, as per a report by Business Standard.
Role of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar
The CBI additionally sought custodial interrogation of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and stated that Bidhannagar police had hid proof associated to the connection between the ruling celebration of the state and Saradha Group of Companies on the behest of Kumar. CBI alleged that the step was taken to save lots of everybody within the case.
When ED questioned Ghosh as a witness in October 2013, it was revealed that Kumar was involved with ED throughout the arrests of Sudipta Sen, Debjani Mukherjee, or witnesses Ghosh and others throughout September to November 2013. CBI stated, “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 the investigation with a purpose to shield the influential persons.”
During the investigation, the company reportedly discovered extra proof that proved Kumar was actively concerned in shielding and defending the influential co-accused within the case who had illegally collected funds utilizing unlawful enterprise actions of the group of Ponzi corporations.
Saradha chit fund rip-off
The Saradha rip-off broke out into the open in 2013 when a Ponzi scheme run by the Saradha Group, a consortium of over 200 personal corporations, collapsed after accumulating a whole bunch and 1000’s of crores from over 15 lakh traders.
Rajiv Kumar was a part of the Special Investigation Team arrange by the West Bengal authorities to probe the rip-off. In 2014, the Supreme Court handed over the investigation to CBI. In November 2019, the Supreme Court had sought a response from the IPS officer on the CBI’s attraction in opposition to Calcutta High Court’s order to grant anticipatory bail to Kumar. It is notable right here that when CBI officers had gone to interrogate Rajiv Kumar within the case, CM Mamata Banerjee had sat in a dharna for days. She had known as the interrogation a ‘political vendetta’.