Suvendu struck a deal with Amit Shah at city hotel before joining BJP: TMC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday launched a vitriolic attack on Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari calling him one of the “most corrupt persons” who took refuge in BJP camp only to “safeguard” himself from Central agencies like ED and CBI for his alleged connection with Saradha and Narada scam.

Senior Trinamool Congress leader Jay Prakash Majumdar during a press conference alleged that Adhikar before joining BJP struck a deal with Amit Shah at a city hotel on November 5, 2020, to ensure that Central agencies will never probe against him.

Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, on the other hand, alleged that Adhikari forced Saradha chief Sudipto Sen to issue a bank draft of Rs 50 lakh in favour of Kanthi Municipality while Rs 20 lakh was also given in cash with the false assurance that sanction for a 20-storeyed building would be given by the municipality which is beyond its jurisdictional power. Both the leaders asked why the Centre agency would not investigate the matters related to Adhikari.

“If Abhishek is summoned based on Kuntal Ghosh’s letter, then why is not CBI questioning Suvendu, since Sudipto Sen had mentioned Adhikari’s name?” the leaders said. They also alleged that the only reason behind Adhikari joining BJP was his greed for power and also to save himself from the probe by Central agencies,” they further alleged.

“Let us discuss the dates of Suvendu’s movement, as this will give a clear idea as to what went on behind the scenes. Union Home minister Amit Shah was in Kolkata on November 5, 2020, and at a five-star hotel, Suvendu’s joining terms and conditions were finalised. A deal was struck to save Adhikari from scams. On November 27, 2020, he resigned from the Bengal ministry. On December 16, he resigned from his MLA post and finally joined the BJP on December 19, 2020. The only reason why Suvendu joined BJP is his greed for power and to save himself from the probe of investigative agencies,” Majumdar said.

He further alleged that Mukul Roy was, by then, in BJP working behind the scenes. He, too, had joined BJP in 2015 to save himself from the Saradha scam.

“Around the Bengal Elections in 2016, videos from the Narada sting investigation were revealed to the public. In those tapes, Adhikari was seen on camera taking bribes. However, today, we don’t know the status of the investigation in that case,” Majumdar added.

“Shah had given Mukul Roy a lot of pressure to break Trinamool by hook or by crook. The Narada tapes were shown at BJP headquarters. Suvendu’s video from the Narada sting was made viral from the BJP office itself, with BJP leaders claiming that Suvendu was involved in taking bribes. TMC leaders like Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee and Madan Mitra were sent to jail based on the Narada sting, only Adhikari was let off. The reason is not to decipher, it is because Suvendu sold his spine to the BJP,” Majumdar said.

“Sudipto Sen, the main accused in the Saradha Scam, had written three letters citing how Suvendu and his associates had taken Rs 50 lakh Demand Draft from Sudipto for Kanthi Municipality, apart from lakhs of rupees in unaccounted cash. So why shouldn’t Suvendu Adhikari be probed?” Kunal Ghosh asked.