Ponzy scheme scam claims its 12th victim in West Bengal

BARASAT(WB): The chit fund scam in West Bengal claimed its twelfth victim on Monday with an agent of a ponzy scheme found hanging in his home at Basirhat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district today.

Police said the body of Ujjwal Samaddar, a 27-year-old agent of Sanmarg ponzy scheme, was found hanging in his home at Harishpur village this morning.

Samaddar's neighbours said a group of of depositors had visited him at his home yesterday and had demanded that he return Rs 4 lakh he collected from them.

Investigation into the incident is on, the police said.

Earlier in the day a 16-year-old daily wage farm labourer attempted to commit suicide by consuming pesticide at his home near Jalpaiguri town for losing money in Saradha chitfund scam.

Sahanur Rahman, who had deposited Rs 75,000 with Saradha chit fund, had borrowed a lot of money and hoped to clear them once his investments matured, the police said.

He was in a depressed state since the chit fund company collapsed nearly a month ago.

He was admitted to Jalpaiguri Sadar hospital in a serious condition, the police said.

So far 11 agents, officials of chit fund companies and investors have ended their lives, while a director of one ponzi scheme company has been killed.