Mounting pressure on their bitter rival and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, left Front leaders on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding coordinated and speedy investigation by various Central probe agencies into the Saradha chit fund scam and other such ponzi schemes.
Speaking to the reporters, after a five-member delegation met the PM, senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said investigation is happening in a “piecemeal” fashion through different agencies.
During their discussion with the PM, the left leaders pointed out the lack of co-ordination among the various probe agencies like CBI, SEBI, Enforcement Directorate and SFIO, even after the directions from the Supreme Court.
“The SC itself observed that there is a larger conspiracy and this extends beyond West Bengal, Tripura, Odisha, Assam and various parts of the eastern India and in the country. “So we have requested the Prime Minister that since many of these agencies come under the Central Government, there should be a coordinated investigation.... to reach the bottom of this scam,” Yechury said.
Yechury said the PM had assured them to take this issue seriously.
CPI(M) leaders Biman Bose, Surjya Kanata Mishra, RSP leader Abani Roy and CPI leader D Raja were also part of the delegation.
In response to a question as to whether the delegation had sought a probe against the West Bengal Chief Minister, Yechury claimed that in the memorandum “they have mentioned that those who have been caught have given out many names, including that of the Chief Minister”.
“Whoever it is and on whichever position, if there is suspicion and their name figures, there should be investigation,” Yechury said. He also said that crores of people, who have been looted should be compensated by confiscating the properties of the companies involved in scams.
“We apprehend that there may be an all out endeavour on behalf of the beneficiaries of this massive fraud to misdirect and/or throttle the investigation. The arrests of some MPs and a senior State Government Cabinet Minister raises genuine apprehensions of the involvement of the highest level in the State Government and the ruling Party in the state. Many such names, including the Chief Minister, have been reportedly mentioned by those interrogated so far,” said the memorandum of left parties to PM.
“The left Front parties are very much concerned about the repayment of the life long savings of millions of poor people who invested in these fraud Rsponzi schemes’. It becomes the responsibility of the Government of India to identify the people involved in the larger conspiracy and attach their properties, movable and immovable, and ensure return of the deposits to the people so defrauded. The state government had appointed the Justice Shyamal Sen Commission to identify and compensate those defrauded. This Commission has since been wound up. It’s investigations and report, however, have not been made public. These materials must be taken over by the CBI to facilitate the ongoing enquiry,” said the memorandum.