Saradha chit fund scam: Mamata Banerjee biggest beneficiary of Saradha Media, says Kunal Ghosh

KOLKATA: Suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh alleged on Monday that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was the biggest beneficiary of Saradha Media -- an unit of the tainted Saradha Group -- and told a city court that he could provide specific information to the CBI in case the probe agency questioned him in the matter.

Saradha Media used to run a number of newspapers and news channels before it was shut down in April last year, and Ghosh was its chief executive officer (CEO). "If anyone has derived maximum benefit from Saradha Media, then it was the chief minister," Ghosh told the metropolitan magistrate when he was produced at the Bankshall Court here on Monday. The arrested MP also told the court that he has some specific information which he can provide to the CBI. He also informed the court that "Mamata Banerjee and Mukul Roy are also involved in the multi-crore scam".

Expressing anguish over rejection of his bail prayers by different courts, Ghosh told the metropolitan magistrate that there are different sets of rules for different people. “While I am in jail, someone else is in hotel,” Ghosh said, in an obvious reference to Madan Mitra, West Bengal's transport minister, who was also arrested by the investigation agency on December 12 for his alleged role in the chit fund scam.

Mitra was remanded to judicial custody on December 19 and has been lodged in a government-run hospital since then. Ghosh also told the court that Banerjee's government was trying to harm him by using its police force. The court asked the CBI to record Ghosh's statement. Banerjee had suspended Ghosh after he was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which later handed over the MP to the CBI after the central agency launched its probe.

The chief minister did not initiate any action against another party MP Srinjoy Bose and state transport minister Mitra who were also arrested by the CBI for their alleged involvement in the chit fund scam.