Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal, arrested by the CBI for his alleged role in the Rose Valley chit fund scam, on Sunday dragged Union Minister Babul Supriyo’s name into the graft case.
“I am innocent. I am in no way involved in the scam and the truth will come to the fore soon. I have taken the name of Babul Supriyo and names of some other persons [before the CBI]. The truth will come out,” Mr. Pal told reporters while he was being taken for interrogation by the CBI on a three-day remand.
The Trinamool MP was arrested on December 30 in Kolkata and later brought here. He was sent to three-day CBI custody by a special court here.
‘Allegations meaningless’
While Mr. Supriyo’s comment could not be obtained, BJP secretary Suresh Pujari, who is also the party’s West Bengal in-charge, termed Mr. Pal’s allegation ‘meaningless’. Mr. Pujari said, “By claiming that Mr. Supriyo had tricked him into the scam, Mr. Pal clearly accepted his own involvement in the case.”
Mr. Pal said he had provided names of a large number of people involved in the scam and all relevant information to the investigating agency, including those related to Rose Valley’s link in Odisha.
Claiming that he had not done any wrong, the cine star-turned politician said the Trinamool Congress was with him.
Mr. Pal was one of the directors of the tainted chit fund group that allegedly duped investors in Odisha, West Bengal and some other States. He is also accused of promoting the company and “misleading” people to deposit money in the firm.
He was also charged with giving senior posts to his family members in the company, a senior CBI official said. — PTI
