CBI to send reminder to Roy if he does not turn up by today

The Special Crime branch of CBI, which had issued summons to Trinamool Congress all India general secretary and former railway minister Mukul Roy to appear before the agency in connection with the Saradha scam, will send him a reminder if he failed to turn up by tomorrow.

"We will remind him if he does not turn up at the CBI office here by tomorrow, the last date for his appearance," a CBI source told PTI. Roy, who was asked to appear before the CBI sleuths for interrogation last week, sought extension for his appearance and the agency gave him time till tomorrow.

The Trinamool Congress leader, now in New Delhi, claimed that he was innocent and did not commit any unethical act either on his behalf or the party. Alleging political vendetta by the BJP-led government at the Centre against the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state, both the party and the West Bengal government moved the Supreme Court yesterday seeking monitoring of the ongoing probe by the apex court and to impose restrain on the media 'for selective leaks' by the agency.

The CBI probe into the Saradha scam, however, was at the instance of Supreme Court following which the agency had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under Joint Director Rajiv Singh. The source said that any person summoned by a CBI officer for purposes of interrogation was bound to do that as per the legal provisions.

Earlier, the CBI had said that interrogating Roy was crucial to frame chargesheets against the various accused persons like Bengal transport minister Madan Mitra, now in jail, in the Saradha realty case.