Bank accounts frozen for link to Saradha scam
Investigators probing the multi-crore chit fund scam have shown the “Red Card” to some of India’s giant and historical football teams, including the national club Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) froze the accounts of the two clubs while looking into the money laundering aspect of the Saradha scam and is planning to seal the accounts of first division clubs, Bhowanipore and Kalighat Sporting.
The Saradha Group was a major sponsor of various football clubs in Kolkata. ED sources said these clubs had some kind of financial transactions with the Saradha Group that still remain unexplained. Senior East Bengal functionary Debabrata Sarkar has already been arrested by the CBI for his alleged shady dealings with the jailed Saradha chief Sudipta Sen.
“Accounts of the holding company Kingfisher United East Bengal Private limited have been sealed. letters to freeze the accounts of Mohun Bagan Club have also been issued in the interest of the investigation,” an ED official said. The club had allegedly transferred around Rs 4 crore to the holding company after it received the same from the Saradha Group, thus making the ambit of the search even larger.
The footballers were paid their dues from the accounts now frozen by the ED. This step, that could hit Kolkata Maidan hard, might trigger massive protests from football lovers. Senior and retired national footballers like Subrata Bhattacharya have demanded strong action against the top club officials of the two football teams.
“The corrupt officials have led us to see this day and they must be sacked so that the images of these two historical clubs of India are saved and the players’ interests are preserved,” he said. Another senior footballer and an Olympian, who did not want to be named, wondered why the clubs and players should suffer for the wrong done by these officials.
“They should be sacked and the clubs should be allowed to function properly. We have to remember that these clubs are heritage units and had a role in fomenting nationalistic feelings during the freedom struggle,” he said.
While the ED had more than once questioned Trinamool MP and senior Mohun Bagan functionary Srinjoy Bose over his alleged involvement with the Saradha group, a CBI raid in a former East Bengal official’s house has allegedly yielded incriminating documents pointing at multi-crore transactions between the two sides. Meanwhile, the CBI has added yet another charge of criminal breach of trust against the Saradha Group, sources said.