CBI to send second notice to TMC following Mukul Roy's 'inability' to respond

CBI has sought details of TMC's funding as well as details of sale of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's paintings

Trinamool Congress' decision to remove Mukul Roy from all party posts seems to be a blessing in disguise for the Rajya Sabha MP. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to send a second notice to Trinamool Congress (TMC) -- this time addressing the party's new All-India general secretary Subrata Bakshi --- seeking details of TMC's funding as well as details of sale of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's paintings.

Last week, CBI had sent a similar notice to TMC addressing party's former general secretary Mukul Roy, seeking details on who had bought Mamata Banerjee's paintings, details of the donations to the party and how much worth of advertisements had been carried in the party's mouthpiece "Jago Bangla" between 2010 and 2014. Responding to the notice dated March 4, Roy reportedly mailed to the investigation agency saying he was removed from the party post and had no more access to such details, and hence, he would not be able to respond to that.

This seems to have prompted the CBI to send a second notice to TMC addressing the party's new all India general secretary. Sources suggest the fresh notice is likely to be sent by tomorrow and would seek the response from TMC within seven days.

"I've just taken over. So, I can't comment on the matter," said Subrata Bakshi, responding to the notice.

Apart from the other details about party's funding, the notice also sought detais about sale of Mamata Banerjee's painting. It should be noted that these painting has been in controversy earlier as well. During 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wondered who had bought Mamata's paintings for a a sum of as high as Rs 1.8 crore. He had hinted that Saradha promoter Sudipta Sen had bought those paintings. CPI(M) too has made these allegations earlier. TMC, however, always defended any such irregularities.

Over the last couple of years, Mamata Banerjee held four exhibitions of her paintings in Kolkata and she has always maintained that the sum raised from these sales has been used to run the party.