HeadlinesTodayBengal Cabinet Minister Madan Mitra arrested on prima facie evidence of criminal conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation, says CBI.
| Friday , December 12 , 2014 |
CBI arrests Trinamul minister Madan after intense grilling in Saradha case |
Calcutta, Dec 12 (PTI): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday arrested West Bengal’s transport minister Madan Mitra after questioning him in the Rs 2000-crore Saradha ponzi scam. Mitra had reported to the CBI office in Salt Lake’s CGO complex in the morning, after dodging summons for nearly a month, citing illnesses. He was questioned in two sessions beginning shortly after he reached at 11am. Mitra, the first minister in the state’s Trinamul government to be arrested by the CBI in the Saradha case, was arrested at 4pm, according to television channels. The government had ringed the complex with a large force of policemen, who could be seen preventing reporters and TV crews from entering. The CBI said it had not asked for any police force. The CBI’s crime branch had served a summons on Mitra on November 18, but he had already checked into a private hospital claiming to be ill. When doctors failed to find any condition that would prevent him from facing to the CBI, Mitra had moved to a government hospital. But doctors there said he is fit, and released him on November 26. |
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Saradha scam: West Bengal transport minister Madan Mitra arrested
NEW DELHI: In a rude jolt for Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal transport minister Madan Mitra has been arrested for his role in the Saradha scam. The minister was questioned by the CBI earlier on Friday in connection with the multi-crore scam.
The Trinamool leader has been booked for cheating, criminal conspiracy and misappropriation.
Mitra was summoned by the agency on November 15. He had then received an email from the agency asking him to appear for questioning. However, the minister citing health reasons had sought relaxation from questioning.
So far, the CBI has arrested Trinamool Congress MP, Srinjoy Bose; suspended MP Kunal Ghosh and party functionary, Rajat Majumdar along with three other people —Debabrata Sarkar, Sandhir Agarwal and Sadanand Gogoi — in connection with the Saradha scam.
The Trinamool leader has been booked for cheating, criminal conspiracy and misappropriation.
Mitra was summoned by the agency on November 15. He had then received an email from the agency asking him to appear for questioning. However, the minister citing health reasons had sought relaxation from questioning.
So far, the CBI has arrested Trinamool Congress MP, Srinjoy Bose; suspended MP Kunal Ghosh and party functionary, Rajat Majumdar along with three other people —Debabrata Sarkar, Sandhir Agarwal and Sadanand Gogoi — in connection with the Saradha scam.
The Saradha group, involved in various ponzi schemes, went bust in April 2013 duping thousands of small investors across West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Bihar and Odisha. Its chairman, Sudipta Sen arrested after the scam broke out by West Bengal police; has since then been in jail.
Published: December 12, 2014 14:34 IST | Updated: December 12, 2014 16:54 IST
Saradha scam: CBI arrests West Bengal Minister Madan Mitra
- The HinduThe CBI on Friday arrested West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra in connection with the Saradha chitfund scam. File photo
![The CBI on Friday arrested West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra in connection with the Saradha chitfund scam. File photo]( "The CBI on Friday arrested West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra in connection with the Saradha chitfund scam. File photo")
The HinduThe CBI on Friday arrested West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra in connection with the Saradha chitfund scam. File photo
Development comes three weeks after the arrest of Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose.
In a major development concerning the ongoing investigation in the multi-crore Saradha scam the Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday arrested West Bengal Transport Minster and senior Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra.
Mr. Mitra, perceived to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is an important Minister in her cabinet. He is the first Minister in West Bengal to be arrested by the CBI in the Saradha case
“CBI has arrested Madan Mitra, a Cabinet Minister in the Government of West Bengal on prima facie evidence of criminal conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation as well as deriving undue financial benefits from the Saradha Scam,” a senior official of the CBI told The Hindu.
The arrest comes as a major embarrassment to the West Bengal’s ruling party which had already suffered a battering of its image on account of several of its leaders involved in various Ponzi scams.
The setback comes three weeks after the CBI arrested Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose in the Saradha scam.
Mr . Mitra was earlier summoned by the agency on November 21, 2014. However, since he was admitted to a city hospital the Minister sought exemption from appearing before the CBI.
On Friday, Mr. Mitra appeared before the office of the CBI located at CGO complex in Salt Lake area at around 11 a.m. Though he did not respond to questions by journalists, he appeared disturbed at photographs and videos being taken before entering the CBI office and complained to local police about this. He was reportedly grilled for over three hours prior to his arrest.
Other than allegations of pressurising Saradha chairman and managing director Sudipta Sen, Mr. Mitra has publicly endorsed the Saradha group. In a public gathering, whose recordings are going round in local channels, the Minister is seen heaping praises on Mr. Sen stating that the Saradha chief has shown “how to make an ocean from a drop of water”.
The agency has also arrested retired DGP and Trinamool leader Rajat Majumdar along with three other people — Debabrata Sarkar, Sandhir Agarwal and Sadanand Gogoi — in connection with the Saradha scam.