Saradha scam: CBI searches residence of former Union Minister

With the investigation in the multi-crore Saradha scam gaining steam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a series of raids in different parts of Kolkata throughout Thursday. The raids included 28 locations, including the houses of former Union minister Matang Singh at Guwahati and Delhi.

A team of around 15 CBI officials and other personnel carried out the raids across 28 locations in Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati and Bhubaneswar in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, which came to light in 2013 after the company’s chairman and managing director, Sudipto Sen, shut shop and absconded. He was later apprehended from Kashmir along with few other functionaries of the company.

CBI sources said that raids were conducted at the residence and office of Singh, at Gol Market area in Delhi. The former minister, who is from Assam, was the MoS for Home Affairs under the Congress government.

The CBI officials also raided the residences of his former wife Manoranjana at Guwahati,  south Kolkata residence of retired IPS officer Rajat Majumdar, who was the President of Saradha Group of Companies and is reported to have acted as a conduit between Sen and political leaders.

Raids were also conducted at the houses and offices of Debabrata Sarkar, who is the executive committee member of East Bengal football club in Kolkata, who is reported to have received largesse from Sen, who had sponsored the club at one point in time.

Raids also took place at the house of Piyali, the wife of Sen, sources said. There are four pending FIRs against the tainted Saradha Group where it is alleged that thousands of investors were duped by the company and its associates.

The Supreme Court, which handed over the investigation of the Saradha scam to CBI, also asked the state governments concerned to provide all logistical help to the CBI team probing the matter.