Kolkata: Yesteryear actor Mithun Chakraborty and filmmaker Aparna Sen have been cleared by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the multimillion-rupee Saradha fund scam.
“Investigations have proved that both Chakraborty and Sen had links with the media arm of the Saradha group which were purely professional in nature. They were not involved with the chit fund activities of the company or the scam in anyway. Nor have they ever used their public image to ask people to invest in these companies,” an investigating officer said.
The CBI was tasked by the Supreme Court to investigate the case.
Chakraborty, who is also a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha member, is said to have been paid a sum of Rs17.6 million (Dh1 million) as fees, for hosting a political talk show on his news channel, by Sudipto Sen — the primary accused in the scam. He had received the payment through proper banking channels from Bengal Media Private Limited, and his relation with the now defunct group was limited to the same.
Sen’s association with the group was also limited to her role as the editor of a Bengali magazine that the media arm of the Saradha group has started to publish, sources informed.
“There was no impropriety in their transactions. Our thorough investigation reveals that whatever role they played for the group were limited to the media arm and they were not involved in any money laundering activities,” an official of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.
This is a relief for the ruling Trinamool Congress, especially when Mamata Banerjee had hand-picked Chakraborty to join the party. However, problems continue for the party as cabinet minister Madan Mitra is still behind bars since December, and repeated bail claims have been refused by various courts.
“He has spent 131 days in CBI and judicial custody. No new charges have been framed against him and CBI has not interrogated him since the last two months. They are holding him for political reasons and we are worried that his health is failing,” Mitra’s confidant said.
