`FALSE and BASELESS`: West Bengal CID on EXPLOSIVE letter by Saradha chit fund scam accused`s mother

West Bengal CID rejects claims made by Saradha scam accused`s mother: `The false & baseless allegations made by Debjani Mukherjee`s mother as circulated in media are categorically denied. CID WB conducts investigation following due procedures of law. Media is requested to refrain from augmenting such false & malicious propaganda,` the CID WB said in a statement.

Kolkata: The West Bengal CID on Thursday rejected the “false and baseless” allegations made by the mother of an accused in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam that her daughter is being forced by an officer from the state’s CID to name the leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari and CPI-M central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty as beneficiaries of the scam.

The claim was reportedly made by the mother of Debjani Mukherjee, who is an accused in the Saradha scam and is currently in judicial custody.

“The false & baseless allegations made by Debjani Mukherjee's mother as circulated in media are categorically denied. CID WB conducts investigation following due procedures of law. Media is requested to refrain from augmenting such false & malicious propaganda,” the CID WB said in a statement.

The clarification from the West Bengal CID came after it was reported that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has received a complaint from Sarbari Mukherjee, the mother of Debjani Mukherjee - an accused in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam - that her daughter is being forced by an officer from CID to name Suvendu Adhikari and CPI-M central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty as beneficiaries of the scam.

Debjani Mukherjee has been in judicial custody for the last nine years. She has been identified as the closest aide of Saradha Group founder chairman, Sudipta Sen.

According to news agency IANS, Sarbari Mukherjee alleged that a CID inspector, Abhijit Mukherjee went to Dum Dum Central Correctional Home, where Debjani Mukherjee is currently housed, on July 23, 2022, and had put pressure on her to give a statement that Suvendu Adhikari and Sujan Chakraborty received Rs 6 core each from Sudipta Sen in her presence. 

She also alleged that the CID inspector also threatened Debjani Mukherjee to be booked in nine other cases unless she gives such a statement. Though Trinamool Congress leaders have been tight-lipped over the matter, CID`s additional director general, R. Rajasekaran claimed the allegations made in the letter were false and baseless.

As the letter surfaced, Suvendu Adhikari immediately issued a Twitter message where he claimed that it is a matter of shame that an institution like the CID was not now operating on behalf of the state`s ruling party.

"Disgrace, total disgrace. The once glorious CID has now become the paid janitor of WB`s Bua- Bhatija. CID is indulging in criminality for advancing the nefarious interest of the Banerjee's by intimidating under trial prisoner to give false statements against WB Opposition Leaders," Adhikari tweeted.

Sujan Chakraborty said that let there be an investigation by any agency and he was ready to face any probe in the matter. "But such intimidation of an undertrial, who has been imprisoned for the last nine years, is something unthinkable and unheard of. However, we will not succumb to any such pressure. I wonder why Trinamool Congress is still so scared of CPI-M, which does not have a single representative in the West Bengal Assembly," Chakraborty said.