Rs 5 to 6-billion scam in Chhattisgarh’s DMF funds exposed
During an ED probe, it came to light that contractors paid exorbitant commissions ranging from 25 to 40 per cent of the contract value to officials and political figures in the state.
CBI today interrogated Manoj Kumar, former Enforcement Directorate assistant director and a suspect in the Rs 42 crore money laundering case in the Rose Valley scam, and an investigation officer, Ranjan Chakraborty, of the Saradha scam.
A CBI source, quoting an official of the agency, said that today’s interrogation came in the backdrop of the latest move to bring the two high profile chit fund cases to its logical end quickly, after a similar move was followed in conducting raids at the Burdwan residence of one of the key members of the state-appointed special investigation team (SIT) Dilip Hazra, recently.
Hazra had pursued the investigation in the Saradha case following arrests of Saradha CEO Sudipto Sen and his assistant Debjani Mukherjee from Sonemarg in 2013.
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Kumar was summoned to face the interrogation on his alleged involvement in Rose Valley scam, and his alleged nexus with Subhra Kundu, the wife of Rose Valley chairman Gautam Kundu.
The agency sources claimed they had gained access to some documents which pointed to Kumar’s alleged complicity in doing favours to Mrs. Kundu.
Kumar was earlier arrested by the Kolkata police in May, 2017 after he surrendered at the Bankshall Court following the Supreme Court ruling in an “extortion case” filed against him at the Shakespeare Sarani police station.
He was suspended on 31 January 2017 after he was spotted with Subhra Kundu at a Delhi hotel, in a CCTV clip released by the Kolkata police.
His arrest was made on basis of a complaint lodged by a city-based businessman Kamal Somani who alleged extortion by Pradip Hirawat.
During investigation, the KP had claimed that the accused Hirawat had named Kumar at whose behest he had committed the act.
Meanwhile, the CBI recorded Chakraborty’s statement on his role in the investigation of Saradha scam, when the SIT had pursued the probe at the behest of the state.
Sources said Ranjan was interrogated to verify the statement of Hazra, who was part of SIT which carried out raids at Saradha Salt Lake office and Midland Park offices.
Documents seized from the searches are those which the agency claims it was yet to get hold of as the state police was uncooperative.
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