Avoiding CBI enquiry, the State Government’s attempt to identify influential persons protecting and promoting chit fund activities in the State through a judicial enquiry is unlikely to yield any result in next six months.
Because the Justice RK Patra Commission of Enquiry probing into the chit fund fraudulent activities in the State has sought an extension of its term by another six months. Set up in July this year, the Commission had been asked to submit its report in three months.
Reliable sources on Friday informed that the Commission had written a letter to the State Home Ministry seeking an extension of its term and also urged the State Government to appoint a panel of at least three lawyers to assist the Commission in carrying out the work as it has already received more than seven lakh packets of affidavits by now and the same was pouring still. The last date to receive the affidavits by post is on October 31 next.
Following massive public outcry, the State Government had appointed the Commission headed by the former Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court Justice RK Patra and asked it to identify individuals and entities indulged in unauthorized collection of public deposits and find out involvement of influential persons in protecting and promoting such illegal activities in the State.
The Commission in the meantime extended its deadline to receive the affidavits from general public as several people had expressed their desire to submit their statements of affidavits. The number of affidavits was likely to touch a record 10 lakh, sources said, adding that most of the packets contained multiple affidavits.