JOIN USThe arrest and subsequent questioning of Trinamool Congress MP and actor Tapas Pal has led the CBI to interesting revelations that have brought three top actors in the Bengali film industry under the scanner in the multi-crore Rose Valley chit fund scam.
Although the CBI officials refused to name the actors, they believe Rose Valley chairman Gautam Kundu used their bank accounts to park and launder money.
The three unnamed stars from Tollywood are all close to Pal, CBI officials claimed. Sources said that interrogators claim to have known from Pal that not only did Kundu foray into the film industry holding his hands, the MP even acted as the mediator between Kundu and the industry in all deals. Pal is believed to have revealed during questioning that Kundu had gifted swanky apartments and foreign holidays to these three actors, channelling the money through Pal.
Sources in the agency further said that while the CBI is expected to summon the three actors soon, their names are being kept under wraps for the time being.
The sources said CBI officials have also come to know from Pal that Kundu, who entered the film production business a few years ago, laundered money in the name of producing films and paying stars but most of these films never went on the floor. The money invested in films and stars would later make way back into Kundu’s accounts after being rendered legal income.
Some films produced by Rose Valley were even intentionally set up to fail so that money can be laundered. Pal has put the BJP in an uncomfortable position by claiming before CBI officials that BJP MP from Asansol, Babul Supriyo, was close to Kundu.