CBI ready for trial in Saradha Group scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday submitted before the Bankshall Court the willingness of the investigating agency to initiate trial of the multi-crore Saradha Group scam.

The Saradha Group chief Sudipta Sen, his associate Debjani Mukherjee and suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh were produced before the court today. Judicial custody of all three has been extended. 

CBI’s counsel submitted that the investigating officers have no problem if the trail in this case begins within a few days. 

Defence counsels, however, objected the move of the CBI’s counsels and submitted that the CBI had been saying that they need more time for “further investigation”. 

Now the investigating agency is saying that they are ready for the trial. They had even maintained that supplementary chargesheet will be submitted in this connection. The trial process may get hampered if it gets stalled in between. Thus the CBI should go for trial if they assure that the investigation in this connection is complete, the defence lawyers submitted. 

Meanwhile, CBI officers today interrogated two Manoranjana Sinh, estranged wife of former Union minister and Congress leader Matang Sinh, and businessman Ramesh Gandhi. 

A team comprising some senior CBI officers went to the nursing home where Sinh is admitted at present. They asked him some questions about the deal of her company with that of Sudipta Sen for transaction of ownership of a news channel. 

According to a source in the CBI, it became essential for the investigating officer to question her as they have got some information about the deal after interrogating an “influential person”. 

Today they went to verify the statement of the person. But it was not quite possible for the investigating officers to ask many questions to Sinh as she was unwell. 

The reason behind questioning Gandhi on Tuesday was same. Gandhi was well aware about the deal between Sinh and Saradha Group.