The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested Trinamool Congress MP and party’s leader in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay in connection with the ongoing investigation in the chit fund scam case.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the arrest “political vendetta” and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.
Within hours of the arrest, TMC cadres gathered before the State BJP headquarters and indulged in sloganeering. Soon stones were hurled from either side and several vehicles were damaged. Some workers were injured in the violence. The standoff continued for several hours despite strong police deployment.
After several summons, Mr. Bandyopadhyay appeared before the CBI earlier in the day in connection with the probe against the Rose Valley Group of companies. After hours of questioning, he was arrested by the CBI.
“He [Mr. Bandyopadhyay] was involved in promoting the business of the Rose Valley Group and he benefited from the proceeds of business both in cash and kind,” a senior CBI official told The Hindu.
The officer said that the investigation against the Rose Valley Group was started as per the Supreme Court order in the chit fund scam dating to May 2014. The TMC MP will be produced before a “competent court,” the CBI official said. He is likely to be taken to Bhubaneswar where the agency has registered the case.
On December 30, the CBI arrested party MP and film actor Tapas Paul, alleging that he had benefited from the Rose Valley Group. On reaching the CBI office on Tuesday, Mr. Bandyopadhyay told journalists that he was aware of the charges against him and had come to face interrogation.
TMC MPs and State leaders later met Mr. Bandyopadhyay at the CGO complex in Salt Lake area where the CBI office is located.