In a new development in the infamous Saradha scam case, former Chairman Sudipta Sen has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee naming heavyweight politicians across party lines, who have allegedly been benefitted by the Ponzi scheme. The Saradha scam broke out into the open in 2013 when a ponzi scheme run by the Saradha Group, a consortium of over 200 private companies, collapsed after collecting hundreds and thousands of crores from over 15 lakh investors.
On December 1, Sen wrote a handwritten letter from his cell in the Presidency jail, detailing the amounts allegedly taken from him by several politicians belonging to the Congress, BJP, Trinamool Congress and the CPI (M). In a 2-page letter, the Saradha kingpin had alleged that MP and President of West Bengal Congress Committee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, had received ₹6 crores from him. He also claimed that CPI (M) leaders Sujan Chakraborty and Biman Bose had been illegally benefitted to the tune of ₹9 crores and ₹2 crores respectively.
While naming former TMC MLA and now BJP leader, Mukul Roy, Sudipta Sen alleged that he is unable to recollect the amount of a ‘large sum of money’ that Roy had taken from him. He also said that the rebel TMC MLA Suvendu Adhikary had also taken ₹6 crores from him. The former Chairman of the Saradha group has expressed disappointment over inaction against the said politicians, who have remained scot-free, despite having been a party to the financial scam.
He also requested the CBI and the State police to taken action against the politicians he has named in the letter. Sudipta Sen further wrote that those who have been the beneficiaries of the Ponzi scheme have been his most vocal critics in the public sphere. In his letter, he had also alleged that it pained him to see that those who ‘cheated’ the public are now joining the BJP.
Presidency Jail Superintendent Debashis Chakraborty informed, “Sudipta Sen wrote a letter, in accordance with the rules of the jail. It has been sent to the higher authorities.” Reportedly, his letter has now reached the Chief Minister’s Office.
Sudipta Sen, in a confessional letter to the CBI in 2013 had made several claims with far-reaching political implications. In the letter, Sen claimed that he had not only paid hefty pay-out amounts to Trinamool leaders but also influential Congress leader in Assam Matang Sinh, and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram’s wife Nalini Chidambaram.
Political reactions to the scandalous revelations of Sudipta Sen
While the Trinamool Congress is yet to comment on the matter, the Congress party and the CPI (M) has dismissed all the charges. They alleged that it is an attempt to tarnish the name of their parties ahead of the Vidhan Sabha polls. They also questioned his silence for over 7.5 years and the timing of the letter. Threatening to take legal action, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury stated, “TMC government is in a state of panic. Therefore, it is trying to malign the image of Congress and CPI (M) leaders. The accused in the Saradha scam is the mouthpiece of the party… Are they making him (Sudipta Sen) do this?”
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said that even after 7 years of investigation, the CBI and the State government did not find anything against me. “Now, an ‘anguished’ Sudipta Sen is writing to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister. I don’t know if this will help to improve his image. However, his nefarious plans are now caught red-handed, “he stated.
it is interesting to note that while Sen has named TMC leader Suvendu Adhikary, he is rumoured to be joining BJP soon. Adhikary has already resigned from the ministry.
