The Enforcement Directorate which is jointly investigating the multi-crore chit fund scam in Bengal with CBI has once again issued summons to film star and Trinamool Congress MP of Rajya Sabha Mithun Chakraborty. A Bangla television cited Chakraborty's alleged failure to submit relevant documents to the agency as the reason for being summoned for the second time. Earlier, the ED had questioned Chakraborty in Mumbai for alleged "receipt of fees" for performing as Saradha group's brand ambassador.
The ED sources said the "relevant documents" that it had demanded from the actor-turned MP to prove his contention that his was a professional contract with the Saradha Group for which he had worked as a brand ambassador, had not been submitted as yet necessitating the issuance of the summons for the second time.
The notice has been issued to him under the relevant provisions of Prevention of Money laundering Act, sources said adding the agency was likely to quiz former Doordarshan director general Ratikanta Basu too. Owner of a popular Bangla channel Basu had reportedly transferred it to Saradha chairman Sudipto Sen.
The agencies had earlier quizzed Basu, a retired IAS officer, over the transfer of his three channels to Saradha. However, he had claimed that he was not the principal owner of the channels. Curiously after the failure of Saradha group, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken special measures to keep the channels afloat.
Insofar as the reported summons concerning Chakraborty, his lawyer denied having received any letter from the ED. He said neither the star nor the lawyer’s office had received any summons. He said, “The ED told us when they will need any papers they will ask us. I have no communication from them.”
The ED probing the chit fund scam had earlier found that "an amount of Rs2 crore had gone into his account from Saradha business portals" news agency sources said adding Chakrabarty had been quizzed last June in this connection. During the probe, Chakraborty had reportedly told the officials that he had "no business dealings" with Saradha and that "he would submit all personal transaction details with them."
However, "these details have not been sent and hence summons for personal appearance or documents submission through authorised representatives has been sought," officials said. More than 300 cases have been lodged in relation to the multi-crore chit fund fraud that had caused maximum embarrassment to Bengal's ruling TMC as most of the political persons grilled and jailed so far belonged to the ruling outfit.