Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee demands Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into Saradha scam

Krishnagar, West Bengal: CPI(M) politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Sunday demanded a CBI probe monitored by the Supreme Court into the Saradha scam, claiming that nothing would come out if the investigation remained in the hands of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.

"We want a Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation into the scam so that the huge amount of money taken by the Saradha Group from lakhs of investors is located," the veteran Marxist leader said at an election meeting here.

"Where has thousands of crores of rupees gone? It has to be unearthed," the former West Bengal chief minister said in an apparent reply to Mamata Banerjee's questioning the source of "thousands of crores that came into CPI(M)'s coffers" during its regime.

Banerjee had on Friday questioned the source of "thousands of crores that came into CPI(M)'s coffers" during its regime. She claimed in an election rally in Hooghly district that it was in 2006 during Left Front rule under Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that the Saradha Group started business.

"They (Trinamool Congress leadership) are getting perturbed whenever questions are being raised on Saradha. They are asking why we are raking up the issue? But why shouldn't we? So many people's money has been appropriated," he said.

"If the investigation remains in the hands of the state government, nothing will come out of it. It must be done by an independent agency," he claimed. "Where is the money coming from for the lavish election campaign of the ruling party?" he questioned. Bhattacharjee also lambasted the TMC government for the poor law and order situation and also the price hike.