Mamata Banerjee's trouble deepens, TMC MLA Madan Mitra held in Saradha scam
Kolkata: Heavyweight Trinamul Congress leader Madan Mitra on Friday became the first MLA and minister of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party and government to be arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in its crackdown on “influential persons involved in the larger conspiracy” behind the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam.
A close aide of Ms Banerjee since Trinamul Congress’ early days, Mr Mitra is a two-time MLA who was crowned with two ministerial posts, transport and sports, when it came to power in Bengal in 2011.
He also is also the third Trinamul functionary, after Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose and retired IPS officer Rajat Majumdar, to face arrest by the CBI in its ongoing probe. Rattled as well incensed by Mr Mitra’s arrest, the chief minister virtually declared a war on the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
She made it clear that despite Mr Mitra’s arrest, the entire state government and ruling party were solidly behind him and threatened to hit the streets over what she called the "unjust, unconstitutional and illegal" action. Ms Banerjee also accused BJP president Amit Shah of misusing the CBI as a political weapon against her government.Mr Mitra’s arrest came on the day he eventually appeared before the CBI, after avoiding the agency’s sleuths for almost a month, citing ill-health.
Along with his lawyer and some followers, he walked into the CGO Complex at Salt Lake at around 10.55 am amid tight security. Led by CBI joint director (north-east) and special investigation team chief Rajiv Singh, CBI DIG Shankha Brata Bagchi and superintendent of police Upendra Agarwal grilled the minister for over five hours from 11 am, in two rounds.
Armed with specific evidence, they questioned Mr Mitra about his strong association with Saradha owner Sudipta Sen, frequent visits to the company’s head office - at Midland Park in Salt Lake’s Sector 5, the receipt of huge amounts of cash in person from Mr Sen and through his messengers and the facilities from Saradha that he had enjoyed, sources revealed. In addition, the minister was also asked to explain why he had attended Saradha events and had praised the company’s chit fund business, sources said.
CBI insiders claimed Mr Mitra had appeared evasive, failed to give any satisfactory answers and denied any link with the scam.
At around 4 pm, he was booked on charges of "criminal conspiracy, cheating, misappropriation and deriving undue financial benefit" under the Indian Penal Code in the Saradha realty case (RC4S/14). Mr Mitra later told the CBI officers he was unwell - a common symptom among high-profile accused after arrest.
A team of doctors from the Bidhannagar Sub-Division Hospital declared him fit after examining him. In the evening, the minister was taken to the Salt Lake Electronic Complex police station, where he was lodged for the night. The CBI has also arrested Naresh Balodia, legal adviser of Mr Sen and his company, on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and diversion of funds in the same case.
