The multi-crore Saradha money collection scam is turning out to be hot potato for the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.
The juggernaut started rolling in February, with Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaching assets worth nearly ₹200 crore owned by the Saradha group. The action came almost a year after the scam surfaced and superseded a commission formed by the State Government to auction the properties.
To make matters worse, the ED recently arrested Sudipto Sen’s family members and called nearly 100 others for questioning. The list reportedly includes a number of top TMC leaders, MPs and Ministers. At least one Trinamool nominee for the Lok Sabha election, confirmed receiving the summon.
While the ED’s action has already kicked up a storm, eyes are now set on ongoing public interest litigations before Supreme Court demanding CBI probe, a possibility that the Mamata Banerjee Government resisted tooth and nail.
The petition, which is in an advanced stage of hearing, will be heard again on Wednesday, a day ahead of the second phase of polls in Bengal.
With 38 out of a total of 42 seats in the State yet to go to polls, a CBI probe may impact the political fortunes of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.
The CPI (M)-led Left Front, the Congress and the BJP have all upped their ante against Trinamool over the Saradha scam.
“The symbol of honesty is now a symbol of Saradha,” former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said, taking a dig at Banerjee.
BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi both accused Banerjee of shielding the Saradha scam accused.
Fighting FireThe Trinamool, meanwhile, has decided to turn the heat on Congress for using the ED for vested political interests.
The State Finance Minister Amit Mirta not only questioned the timing of the enquiry but claimed it to be politically motivated.