Saradha scam: CBI questions Mamata Banerjee aide Manik Majumdar

Transactions relate to purchase of CM’s paintings by owners of impugned firms

West Bengal Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday questioned Manik Majumdar, a close associate of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in connection with the Saradha financial scam.

Officials of CBI visited the South Kolkata residence of Mr. Majumdar during the day and questioned him.

The investigating agency is looking into the alleged transactions that took place following the purchase of the Chief Minister’s paintings by the Ponzi firm owners.

However, it is not clear if Mr. Majumdar was called in for questioning in connection with his bank accounts or transactions related to the paintings.

Shah’s accusation

The development comes days after BJP president Amit Shah alleged that owners of Ponzi companies bought Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s paintings at an exorbitant price. Over the past months, Mr. Majumdar has been summoned by the CBI but he “did not turn up,” CBI sources earlier told

The Hindu .

Earlier last December, in a separate development, the CBI initiated a probe into the TMC's party organ Jago Bangla and party general secretary Subrata Bakshi was summoned to clarify on deposits.

Sources in the TMC said "he clarified" about the transactions.

The party’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien was also summoned on the Jago Bangla probe as he is the printer and publisher of the paper. However, he could not attend as “Parliament was in session,” TMC sources said. Since then no fresh notices have been issued, they added.

On Thursday, at an all party meeting in Delhi to discuss Opposition’s floor plan in the Budget session of the Parliament, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Mr O'Brien, TMC Parliamentary Party Leaders in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, argued that the “CBI is being misused against political opponents.”

In a statement, the TMC noted that the issue “will be raised strongly” by Mr. Bandopadhyay and Mr. O'Brien along with “other Opposition parties.”

The TMC statement said the party will also raise issues related to unemployment, farm crisis and “listing of 48 Bills in 240 minutes.” “Why has government listed so many bills...only five minutes per bill,” the TMC questioned. TMC and the united Opposition will also raise the issue of "ruining country's Federal structure [and] EVMs," the TMC statement said.