Chit fund scam: TMC targets Centre as CBI takes Sudip on further remand

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Bhubaneswar: Arrested All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay was taken on a 4-day remand by the CBI for the second time in connection with the Rose Valley Chit Fund scam while the party continued its attack on the Centre accusing it of political vendetta.

The Central investigating agency produced Sudip in the CBI Special CJM Court after his six-day remand ended today and applied to take him on 8-day remand. However, the court allowed to take him on 4-day remand.

“Till the time the parliament session in on, the Modi-led government will not leave us,” said Sudip while he was brought to the special CJM court in Bhubaneswar earlier in the day.

Reacting to the statement of the TMC MP, State BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan said, “An institution was robbing the general public and the Party was supporting it and has also received money from it. Does Sudip have the moral authority to make such comments?”

Also Read: TMC to take out protest rally in Bhubaneswar

On the other hand, TMC also intensified its protest against arrest of Sudip as members of the party staged demonstration in front of the CBI office here in Bhubaneswar. The party has also planned a bigger protest tomorrow. Alleging that the Centre is conspiring against the party which has been vocally protesting its demonetization move, the TMC also targeted BJP MP Babul Supriyo.

“Sudip is innocent and he is locked up here and Babul Supriyo who is guilty has not been nabbed. The Modi government wants to protect its own party leader,’ said a TMC leader Mohammed Ali.

On the other hand, urging President Pranab Mukherjee’s intervention to "save" the people from the "brink of disaster" following demonetisation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that the Narendra Modi government had turned the CBI into the "Conspiracy Bureau of India".

"They (Modi government) have turned the CBI into the Conspiracy Bureau of India," she said, referring to the agency's arrest of TMC MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Pal in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam.

"I have been an MP for 23 years and have seen many governments, but have never seen such a government which only sees conspiracy if someone protests," the Trinamool Congress chief said, claiming that the situation was "worse than that of the Emergency days of 1975".

"We do not care about that. If he can, Modi babu may put all of us in jail, but we will not stop talking for the people," she said at Burdwan while inaugurating the 'Mati Utsav' (Soil Festival).

"Even if they take us from Bengal to Odisha, Delhi or Uttar Pradesh, it does not matter. Every place is our country," Banerjee said.

According to sources, CBI is trying to establish the links of the TMC MP with the Rose Valley group, the benefits he has availed from the chit fund company and the nexus of other politicians to the group.

In connection with the case, Sudip’s wife Naina was also once again seen at the CBI Bhubaneswar office today. Sources informed that a Bollywood and Bengal cine actress could be called for interrogation by CBI for her links with the tainted ponzi firm.