In what can turn out to be yet another embarrassment for the Mamata Banerjee Government, the names of a MP and a State Minister have cropped up following more raids conducted by the CBI in the offices of ASSDA Agrotech Project limited — a chit fund company operating throughout Bengal, sources said.
A large posse of CBI officers conducted simultaneous raids on the group’s offices at 13 locations spread across North 24 Parganas, Hooghly and elsewhere before discovering incriminating documents that would suggest the group’s links with a State Minister and an MP.
The group might have been involved in raising more than Rs100 crore from the depositors, sources said, adding whether alleged donation made by the group to the CM’s Relief Fund was a way to run its business is being looked into.
According to sources, the said Minister served as a link between the group and the Government on several issues.
The name of the MP whose name has also got involved in the scam and who allegedly worked as the group’s ‘advisor’ has been mentioned in the FIR lodged by some depositors who allegedly failed to receive their dues from the company despite repeated requests.
The CBI sleuths divided into 13 small groups on Friday raided 13 locations from where the ASSDA Group functioned, sources said, adding the house of its CMD was also raided. Raids were conducted at the ASSDA offices at Khardaha, Belgharia, Madhyamgram, Sodepur and elsewhere.
Elsewhere, Rose Valley chief Gautam Kundu on Friday fell ill while being interrogated by the CBI and had to be taken to the hospital. later, the doctors said he was fit for questioning.
Meanwhile, jailed Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh made explosive statements for the second day, on Friday, alleging the investigations into the “larger conspiracy” angle into the Saradha chit fund probe was gradually degenerating into “larger understanding” between two sides.