Tapas Pal undergoes medical tests after complaining of uneasiness

Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged role in the Rose Valley chit fund scam, on Monday, underwent medical tests after he complained of health problems at the start of his interrogation by the investigating agency.

Pal, who is on a three-day remand with the CBI, was first taken to state-run Capital Hospital’s cardiology, neurology and ophthalmology departments for check-ups.

In the evening, the MP again underwent health check-up, this time at the hospital’s psychiatric department after he again complained of health problem. “We have examined Pal. He has epilepsy and diabetes,” Dr Prasant Mohanty, head of psychiatric department in the hospital, said.

While being taken to hospital, Pal, for the second consecutive day, claimed before the mediapersons that he is “innocent and had not done anything wrong”.

Meanwhile, his daughter Sohini Pal also appeared before the CBI here after the investigating agency sought certain clarification from her, sources said, adding she was given a job in the Rose Valley Group allegedly due to her father’s influence.

After being arrested by the CBI in Kolkata on December 30, the cine star-turned-politician was brought to Bhubaneswar the next day. He was sent to three-day CBI custody by a special court.

The Trinamool MP is alleged to be involved in a chit fund group that allegedly duped investors in Odisha, Bengal and some other states. A senior CBI official said Pal was also charged with giving senior posts to his family members in the company.

In its charge-sheet submitted in the court, the CBI had accused the ponzi firm of duping investors of Rs 17,000 crore, of which Rs 450 crore is from Odisha alone. The company was active in Odisha and had 28 branches in the state.