Assam minister's role in Saradha scam creates flutter

Demands for dismissal, arrest and instituting CBI probe against Assam's health & education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma rented Guwahati airs on Thursday

The letter-bomb of Sudipto Sen, chairman and managing director of Saradha Goup, alleging close links of few Assam bigwigs with the company, including a powerful state cabinet minister, has created a flutter in the state.

Sen in his letter to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had alleged that Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam's health and education minister, besides two other bigwigs related to the media industry, had unscrupulous links with Sen and Saradha Group.

Demands for dismissal, arrest and instituting a CBI enquiry against Sarma rented Guwahati airs on Thursday. Firebrand RTI activist and peasants' leader Akhil Gogoi on Thursday led a protest march in the city and gheraoed the deputy commissioner's office demanding action against Sarma. "He is party to the scam and culpability on cheating the people also equally rests on him. We have sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi also demanding his dismissal. His properties and assets should be seized. He should be soon arrested," said Gogoi. Thousands of victims of Saradha fraud too participated in the protest march. Regional political party, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), also demanded "proper enquiry" into the allegations levelled by Sen against Sarma.

On the other hand, the Guwahati-based television news channels - News Live, DY 365 and Frontier TV, which were named in Sen's letter of having links with him and his company, were seen shrugging off the revelations that they had squeezed money from Sen in illegal ways. Besides alleging having paid large sum of money to Sarma and News Live channel (Sarma's wife controls the channel), Sen in his letter to the CBI also alleged having paid money to Manoranjana Sinh, related to Frontier TV and Sanjib Jaiswal, related to DY365 channel.

Meanwhile, the Assam government is contemplating to move the CBI to probe cases of money swindling by fake non-banking financial corporation. "The government is seriously contemplating to move the CBI against some companies, including major groups, for swindling public money", said Tarun Gogoi, chief minister of Assam. He added: "Before we act against someone, we need to have a proper investigation. Mere allegations are not sufficient to prosecute someone."

In Assam, at least 222 cases have been registered so far against 128 fake companies, which include Sarada Group, Rose Valley, Unipay 2 U, Jeevan Suraksha, Prayag, Abyss Assam Group Co, Basil International Ltd, Alliance Vision Marketing Pvt Ltd and Daffodils Group of Companies.

Seventeen cases have been so far charge sheeted against 42 persons and 15 companies. Around 303 persons have been arrested so far. Nearly Rs 94 lakh in cash had been seized and Rs 24 crore frozen. Around 106 bank accounts have been frozen and a number of plots totalling more than 99 bighas, including buildings, have been identified and necessary steps are being taken up for their attachment in Assam. The cases are being "supervised" by Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Police sources also informed that they were preparing to bring Sen to Assam to quiz him on the scam and alleged links of few people with the company.