Kunal alleges medical conspiracy- Saradha accused cries plot to label him unstable, hospital says jail requested visit |
| Our Bureau |
 Kunal Ghosh. File picture. Ghosh, sources in Presidency jail said, refused to cooperate when he was asked to undergo psychotherapy, an interactive session during which a person's anxiety level is assessed. SSKM director Pradip Mitra said the team was sent following a request from the jail authorities. "They (medical team) were requested by the jail authorities to examine him. The doctors had examined him a week ago and written in their note that a review should be done. The jail authorities sought a review." The jail sources confirmed that the prison authorities had requested a visit by the medical team. Sources in the jail hospital said Ghosh, arrested in connection with the Saradha scam, expressed dismay and anger and alleged that the inclusion of a psychiatrist and a psychologist in the team was part of a "conspiracy to brand me a mental patient". "What is happening? Do you think I don't understand anything?" a jail source quoted Ghosh as saying. A lawyer not attached to the Saradha case said courts did not take cognisance of the statements of a person medically certified as mentally unfit. Ghosh had earlier said in Bankshall Court and written to the CBI court in Alipore, alleging bias in the way he and the other arrested Saradha accused such as minister Madan Mitra and Trinamul MP Srinjoy Bose were being treated. In the letter on Wednesday, he had wondered what ailed Mitra and Bose that the jail hospitals referred them to SSKM Hospital, the same state-run facility from where medical practitioners were sent today to attend to Ghosh. While Mitra was lodged in Alipore central jail, Bose was in Presidency jail. On the same day, Ghosh had reportedly handed over to the CBI documents in support of his claim that Mamata Banerjee had instructed the tourism department to ensure that Saradha bagged the contracts for some joint venture projects to promote tourism in north Bengal. An SSKM source contested Ghosh's allegation of bias and said the medical team was sent because the government wanted to "put on record that he was being given proper medical attention". The SSKM team had psychiatrist Shikha Mukherjee, psychologist Bidisha Bhattacharya and chest expert Nirmalendu Sarkar. Ghosh was taken to the jail hospital from his cell after the medical team arrived. "He expressed dismay and said he was okay. When he was told the team had come for a routine check-up, he cooperated and his blood pressure, pulse and other parameters were checked," a jail source said. "But when one of the doctors told him to undergo psychotherapy, Ghosh got agitated and refused to cooperate. The session could not be conducted," the source added. This is not the first time Ghosh has refused psychotherapy. When he was in Dum Dum jail before the CBI took over the Saradha probe in May, prison authorities had recommended a counselling session, which included psychotherapy, by doctors from RG Kar Medical College Hospital but Ghosh had refused to undergo the procedure. Arguing for himself in Bankshall Court after his alleged suicide attempt on November 14, the journalist-turned-MP had said: "There is a conspiracy to portray me as a deranged person. That's how the ruling establishment wants to prevent me from talking." |
Saradha scam: CBI records Kunal Ghosh's statement
PTI Dec 24, 2014, 10.08PM IST![]()
(CBI recorded the statement…)
KOLKATA: CBI recorded the statement of Saradha scam accused and suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh at Presidency jail today, as per the directive of a city session court.
"The CBI recorded the statement of Kunal Ghosh at Presidency jail as per the directive of the court", CBI sources told.
Ghosh had told metropolitan magistrate Arvind Mishra when he was produced at Bankshall Court here on December 22 "If anyone has derived the most benefit from Saradha media, then it is the chief minister."
Saradha Media, of which Ghosh was the CEO, was an arm of the Saradha Group, which is embroiled in a multi-crore rupees chit fund scam. It ran a number of newspapers and news channels before closing down in April, 2013 after the scandal surfaced.
Ghosh, who fell foul of the Trinamool Congress leadership following his outbursts against a section of it, had alleged that Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Mukul Roy are also involved.
"I have specific information. I can provide this if I am questioned by CBI," he had claimed in the court on December 22.
The court had then directed the investigating agency to get Ghosh's statement recorded in judicial custody.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-12-24/news/57376166_1_kunal-ghosh-saradha-scam-saradha-group
Why the allegations made against Mamata Banerjee matters?
Written by: Vicky Nanjappa Published: Monday, December 22, 2014, 21:24 [IST] Share this on your social network:
The investigations into the top brass of the Trinamool Congress Party in connection with the Saradha scam has got the necessary push now that Kunal Ghosh has made a statement before the Magistrate. This was not just an outburst as had been claimed in the past by the TMC, but a valid statement made not under duress before the Magistrate which is valid in law.
For the CBI which had a bit of trouble getting right to the top, this statement by Ghosh comes as a blessing as it would now ride on the orders of the court to further its investigation.
Today before the court Ghosh termed Mamta as the biggest beneficiary of the Saradha scam. Allegations now have a legal sanctity
In normal course when an accused person makes a statement before an investigating agency in this case the CBI, he normally tends to withdraw it before the court. In several cases it has been seen that a confessional statement is made before the investigator only to be withdrawn before the court claiming that he was forced into it and only made it under duress. However the statement made by Ghosh before the Magistrate was done under oath and he will have to think of legal repercussions even if he choses to withdraw the same at the trial stage.
How the statement will change course of investigations? For the CBI this is a shot in the arm. Some of the big names in the party could not be investigated due to direct links. What has been found by the CBI is the participation of some big names, but they have not been able to link them directly as they could not question them.
Ghosh today made it clear to the court that he stands by the allegations he had made against Mamata Banerjee and Mukul Roy. He said that the CBI is free to probe him on this and he will give proof. The CBI will now rely on the court's order and the court has the discretion to direct them to probe the allegations that Kunal Ghosh has made.
The CBI had always maintained that when it comes to some names, they would prefer a court order to that effect and this statement by Ghosh gives them exactly that platform. What the court can say? The court can either direct a probe or reject the allegation.
Normally courts direct investigating agencies to probe allegations. If they realize that the accused is serious about the allegations then a probe can very well be directed by the court. Legal experts say that by directing a probe into the allegations made by Ghosh it would not necessarily mean that a conclusion is being reached. It is just an investigation to ensure that the allegations are looked into. It is for the CBI to probe the case and come to a conclusion and then the finality of any such thing is always decided during the trial. What has Ghosh got on him against Mamata?
Ever since Kunal Ghosh has been arrested he has been very vocal against Mamata Banerjee. He says that she benefitted the most from the scam. He has alleged that her painting was purchased by Sudipto Sen and this was the beginning of things to come. Further Ghosh also reveals a plan where the Saradha group was prompted to invest in the media in a bid to take complete control and project her as the Prime Ministerial candidate. He also claimed that the cronies of the Chief Minister had done a lot to keep her name out of the scam. There were always instructions to keep the big names out. "Keep Mamata out of this scam at any cost as she is nurturing a bigger role at the centre and any scam at this point in time could prove fatal to that dream of hers," was the constant talk in the TMC circles, Ghosh had alleged.
I was the scapegoat: Kunal Ghosh Ghosh had told the CBI that he had respect for Mamata. However he decided to drop the bomb on her only after he realized that she too along with the rest decided to make him the scapegoat. It was at the behest of people like Rajat Majumdar that I was made a scapegoat he alleged. All this was done to ensure that the heat does not fall on her and the rest of the top leaders, Kunal Ghosh also said.
http://www.oneindia.com/feature/why-the-allegations-made-against-mamata-banerjee-matters-1600398.html
The power of Saradha link |
| Meghdeep Bhattacharyya |
 Majumdar Rajat Majumdar, a former police officer who became close to Saradha boss Sudipta Sen and the Trinamul leadership, continues to be on the board of the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) although he has been in custody for the past three months. An opportunity for removing Majumdar came up earlier this month when the WBPDCL board was restructured. Although three directors exited because their terms had expired, nothing was done to replace Majumdar, whose tenure stretches up to 2016. Highly placed sources said that a chargesheeted person like Majumdar would not have been left undisturbed had someone as senior as the state power minister not intervened. "His (power minister Manish Gupta's) proximity to Majumdar is well known," an official said. Contacted tonight by this newspaper, Gupta said he was at a programme and not in a position to speak. Calls later to his cellphone went unanswered. WBPDCL chairman and managing director Durgadas Goswami and power secretary Gopal Krishna, both members of the board, declined comment. Majumdar was arrested on September 9 by the CBI on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation of funds. He has denied the charges. When the WBPDCL board was restructured this month, former Bengal chief secretary Ardhendu Sen, former director of operations of NTPC Narendra Nath Misra and former managing director of Dishergarh Power Supply Corporation Sundaresan Radhakrishnan departed as their terms had ended. Majumdar was allowed to continue on the "technical ground" that his three-year term would end only in April 2016, said an official in Nabanna, the state secretariat. The WBPDCL board has the authority to order mid-tenure termination on the grounds of an ongoing probe in a corruption case or arrest, the official added. Other officials, too, said termination was "a simple procedure" that required a motion to be put to vote. "In this case, the other board members had to vote for or against the removal and the majority decision would have prevailed," an IAS officer said. Officials felt that the principle of innocent till found guilty could not be overlooked. But Majumdar is an accused in a financial case, and corporate ethics demands that he step down from the board of all companies or he is removed until a court gives a clean chit, an officer said. An official said the WBPDCL board restructuring could have been the "perfect opportunity to ease out" Majumdar. Majumdar, a retired IPS officer, was also on the board of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL). His tenure at this utility had ended in September but it was not renewed, probably because his arrest was still a hot topic and any extension would have triggered an uproar. Majumdar, who retired in 2008 as the director-general of the state armed police, formally joined Trinamul in 2010. |
Didi tells party ranks to fall in line, Kunal skips meet
KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee knows that she can't undo the damage by taking the Saradhatainted party heads to task — the surgery might expose the rot deeper inside. The Trinamool chief, thus, chose to play safe at the party general council meeting on Friday by showing the stick to partymen as a warning for future indiscipline.
Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh, who has already been questioned by the special investigation team, and Lok Sabha MP Somen Mitra, who has demanded a CBI inquiry into the Ponzi muddle, were among significant absentees at the meet. According to Trinamool sources, Didi might have asked Kunal Ghosh to stay away from the meeting because many senior Trinamool leaders have complained against him. If Ghosh's absence is construed as his walking into the sunset in Trinamool politics, another Trinamool MP Srinjoy Bose named in Saradha Group CMD Sudipta Sen's letter to CBI was present at the meeting . So were Satabdi Roy, Madan Mitra, Tapas Pal and Mukul Roy, whose names have come up in the Saradha scam. Senior Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay had taken leave from the meeting because of his preoccupation in Parliament.
Mamata, however, didn't leave Kunal Ghosh in the lurch. She gave him her strong backing while addressing partymen at Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra. "Kunal chor, Tumpai (Srinjoy) chor, Mukul chor, ami chor, aar apnara sobai sadhu ? If they are thieves, you (CPM) are not innocent either ," she said, trying to drag the CPM into the muck that her party is in.
Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh, who has already been questioned by the special investigation team, and Lok Sabha MP Somen Mitra, who has demanded a CBI inquiry into the Ponzi muddle, were among significant absentees at the meet. According to Trinamool sources, Didi might have asked Kunal Ghosh to stay away from the meeting because many senior Trinamool leaders have complained against him. If Ghosh's absence is construed as his walking into the sunset in Trinamool politics, another Trinamool MP Srinjoy Bose named in Saradha Group CMD Sudipta Sen's letter to CBI was present at the meeting . So were Satabdi Roy, Madan Mitra, Tapas Pal and Mukul Roy, whose names have come up in the Saradha scam. Senior Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay had taken leave from the meeting because of his preoccupation in Parliament.
Mamata, however, didn't leave Kunal Ghosh in the lurch. She gave him her strong backing while addressing partymen at Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra. "Kunal chor, Tumpai (Srinjoy) chor, Mukul chor, ami chor, aar apnara sobai sadhu ? If they are thieves, you (CPM) are not innocent either ," she said, trying to drag the CPM into the muck that her party is in.
Didi 'observers' to keep eye on flock
In a bid to protect her men, Mamata has carved out a "you too" strategy with a punch of "conspiracy by the Centre" . While reiterating CPM's nexus with the Ponzi firm owners in the past, Mamata also accused the Centre of hatching the "chit fund conspiracy" against her party. She also cautioned Somen Mitra without taking his name, saying that some leaders within the party have asked for CBI inquiry . It was a clear message to dissenters to fall in line.
At the same time Mamata seized the opportunity to rein in the Trinamool leaders and discipline them to stem further damage. "Uphold the dignity of the party flag. Don't go anywhere at will and raise the party banner. I won't tolerate it," Mamata said, with a tacit reference to the Trinamool ruckus at IIT-Kharagpur recently.
In the two-hour long session , Mamata sent out the message to the ranks — Chhatra Parishad, YUVA, trade unions — and asked them to tread with caution. "I keep track of the activities of our leaders and workers. I am aware of what they are up to. The moment I come to know of any indiscipline on their part, I will take action," the Trinamool chief said.
In a bid to break vested interests in the districts, Mamata engaged more men as party observers . She named Sisir Adhikary , Sourav Chakraborty, Gautam Deb, Sabitri Mitra, Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury , Amal Acharya and Subhendu Adhikari as members of zonal committees. With this committee revamp, Mamata wants to address the people at large and push the development programmes along with the political campaign. "If I have been able to run Bengal so long, I can carry on for the rest of the term. We shall fight our battles politically. I appeal to you to lock up the opposition with your speeches. Don't ever assault them. People have reposed their faith on us. We can't let them down," she said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Didi-tells-party-ranks-to-fall-in-line-Kunal-skips-meet/articleshow/19875880.cms