LS Polls 2014: Chidambaram has nothing to hide in Saradha scam, says Anand Sharma

KOLKATA: Rebutting Narendra Modi's charge that Union Finance Minister P Chidamaram had something to hide in the Saradha scam, Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma today said that Trinamool Congress leaders were involved in the scandal and they would be investigated and punished under law.

Sharma alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was protecting the people who had cheated and looted poor people and said that those involved in the swindle had to be booked irrespective of political affiliations.

He countered Trinamool Congress' claim that the ED had been unleashed by the Congress to probe the Saradha scam to corner TMC, saying "if you break law you will get punished. It is not political....Action has to be taken irrespective of which party the accused belong to."

Defending Chidambaram, Sharma said, "When it comes to ponzi schemes, the Government of India has taken firm action. SEBI has been given more teeth and that is why Sahara Group chief is behind prison cells.

Similarly, in Saradha and other chit fund schemes, people who held big positions in Trinamool Congress would be investigated and punished under law," Sharma said.

On Modi's statement yesterday that both P Chidamabram and Mamata Banerjee had something to hide, Sharma said," "Narendra Modi has a habit of making such statements. As far as I know, I give credit to P Chidambaram for taking steps to give SEBI deterrent powers to investigate such scams."

Mocking at Modi's critricism of Mamata Banerjee over the Saradha scam, Sharma said, "I think both Mamata Banerjee and Narendra Modi should come clean if any back-door negotiation is going on between them on any post-poll arrangement."