Chit fund scam: CPI(M) expels member associated with Saradha

In its first political casualty, a CPI(M) leader and the personal assistant to former West Bengal state finance minister Asim Dasgupta, was shown the door for his involvement in the Saradha chit fund scam. Though the extent of his involvement has not been ascertained yet, the CPI(M) member allegedly had ties with the Saradha group and kept the party in dark about it. [caption id=“attachment_752805” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Saradha Group chairman Sudipta Sen. AFP.[/caption] Hindustan Times reports, that district secretary of the party in 24-Parganas, West Bengal, Goutam Deb made the announcement of expulsion in the party mouthpiece Ganashakti. Sudipta Sen, the Saradha Group chief, had apparently said that Dey had helped him set up the chit fund business in 2007-2008. While the move might have put the Trinamool Congress in a spot given that Mamata Banerjee has refused to act against her party leaders yet, the CPM national leadership is not reassured. Hindustan Times quotes a party leader in Delhi:

“It is impossible that a party like ours that has a watertight network became aware of Dey’s links with Saradha only after the police started their interrogation. The way Dey’s property swelled over the years it was not possible for him to make that happen with the salary he got as the personal assistant of the then finance minister and from his earlier profession as a school teacher,” said a New Delhi-based leader of the party.

Now, it is up to TMC to decide if they’re going to take the cue and cleanse the party of the tainted ministers or continue pushing blame on the Left party. Read the complete Hindustan Times article here.