MP and actor Mithun Chakraborty to return money he got from Saradha: ED

Kolkata: Officials of the Enforcement Directorate revealed that Trinamul MP and actor Mithun Chakraborty assured the agency that he would soon return the amount given to him by Saradha. The MP was questioned earlier this week where his statement was recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

During the recording of statement, sources said, Mr Chakraborty provided the agency sleuths with a number of DVDs, CDs and scripts that he had got as part of being the brand ambassador of the Saradha group.

“The actor told the investigators that his association with the Saradha group was purely professional and that he had no intentions of cheating or duping anyone. He said he had no inkling about any sort of scam being perpetrated. The actor submitted all his personal and official records to the agency in this regard,” the sources said.

The actor, during the about three-hour questioning, also told the investigators that he would deposit the amount of less than Rs 2 crore he had received to be finally restored to the depositors alleged to have been cheated in this scam.

The Rajya Sabha MP of the ruling party in West Bengal told the ED that he “actually acted in promotional videos and advertisements that were broadcast on television shows” made by the Saradha group and this was done as per his contract.

He told investigators that if he had bad intentions, he would not have done the promotional activity and instead would have stashed the money. He also assured to help in the probe.