West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra has been asked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to appear before the agency on Wednesday in connection with the Saradha Chit Fund scam. The CBI had issued a second summon few days ago to Mr. Mitra to probe his role in the financial scam, failing which he will have to inform his availability to the investigating agency.
The CBI had issued the first summon to Mr. Mitra on November 18, asking him to meet officials on November 21. He, however, had complained of illness and had to be hospitalised at a private nursing home in the city, termed as a “tactic” to buy time by opposition parties. After a few days, he was shifted to the government-run S.S.K.M. Hospital and underwent several medical tests.
After he was discharged on November 26, he expressed his willingness to be quizzed by CBI officials whenever they would summon him. Reportedly, he contacted the CBI and declared he was fit enough to be questioned.
Earlier, the CBI had questioned Mr. Mitra’s former confidential assistant Bapi Karim in relation with the Saradha scam.
Quite a few names of leaders of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) have cropped up in the case. Suspended AITC MP Kunal Ghosh and Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose were earlier arrested for their alleged links with the Saradha Group and its chairman and managing director Sudipta Sen.
