Saradha chit fund scam: Left leaders meet Modi, demand quick probe into Mamata govt

With West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee already training her guns at the Left front accusing them of colluding with the BJP against Trinamool Congress, reports on Monday said that a delegation of Left leaders met Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a quicker and a coordinated investigation into ponzi schemes like Saradha. A report in M_int_ said that leaders of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Revolutionary Socialist Party, Communist Party of India and the Forward Bloc submitted a memorandum to the PM asking him to probe into Trinamool’s role in the Saradha chit fund scam. Two of TMC MPs — Kunal Ghosh and Srinjoy Bose — are embroiled in multi-crore scam. The scam became a major issue in West Bengal in 2014 giving sleepless nights to the ruling Trinamool Congress as many of its leaders came under the scanner and faced action. The scam also became a platform for the CPM-led Left parties, who were ousted from power in 2011, to attack Mamata’s TMC ahead of the 2016 state assembly elections in West Bengal. [caption id=“attachment_1839947” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Mamata Banerjee. Reuters[/caption] Quoting CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, the Mint report said: “Various names have been raised by the people who have been interrogated… We urge the investigations include everyone mentioned, whoever it may be and on whichever position.” Earlier, West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra in a statement had alleged that members of CPI(M) are involved in the scam too. When asked about the allegations, CPI(M) leader Biman Bose said that statements of “thieves” cannot be taken seriously, another report in The Hindu said. Speaking to The Hindu, the senior leader of the party said: “We don’t think any of the CPI(M) leaders are involved in the issue. If we find anything irregular, we will take strict action.” The public outcry that followed the arrest of Sudipto Sen, forced the Mamata Banerjee government to quickly form a commission under the chairmanship of retired judge Shyamal Sen with a view to return money to the investors by way of raising taxes. While this effort of the government met with limited success, the commission now stands dissolved. The  CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken up the investigation of the case.