2 Bengal firms suspected of running ponzi schemes

Our Bureau Updated - November 27, 2017 at 01:39 PM.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed FIRs against two more West Bengal-based deposit-taking companies, MPS Greenery Developers Ltd and Akash Deep Projects Ltd.

These are the first non-Saradha companies against whom the agency has initiated proceedings.

According to a CBI spokesperson, cases have been registered against the managing directors and directors of these two companies.

“Charges include allegations of criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and abatement. These are the first set of FIRs against companies other than the Saradha Group in West Bengal,” the spokesperson said.

The cases have been filed in pursuant to the Supreme Court asking the CBI to investigate the Saradha Scam in West Bengal and similar companies.

Akash Deep Projects, said to be headquartered in Baruipur south of Kolkata, is a relatively lesser known operator.

Kolkata-headquartered MPS has been under the scanner of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its money collection schemes, mostly plantation ones.

MPS’, along with Saradha, and some other companies have been in the forefront of collective investment schemes running in the Bengal.

MPS founder arrested

Pramatha Nath Manna, the founder and managing director of MPS Greenery, along with another director, PK Chanda, was arrested late on Friday night. They are accused of non-payment of dues. A district court on Saturday remanded both Manna and Chanda for three days in police custody.

Cases were filed against them by some depositors from Bankura.

Published on September 28, 2014 16:44