Bengal opposition questions timing of Trinamool MP's arrest

Ghosh, who was suspended by the Trinamool for being antiparty, was arrested on Saturday

West Bengal's opposition parties Saturday questioned the timing of ruling Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh's arrest in the Saradha scam, noting he was taken into custody soon after dragging Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's name into the controversy.

"The timing says a lot. He has been arrested a day after taking Banerjee's name. The demand for a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe is now more than justified," Communist Party of India-Marxist central committee member Mohammad Salim told IANS.

Ghosh, who was suspended by the Trinamool for being antiparty, was arrested Saturday by the Bidhannagar police which is probing the scam and has quizzed the Rajya Sabha member several times.

"But once he started saying things which were embarrassing for the Trinamool, the investigating officers started their hot pursuit for him. And soon after he took Mamata's name, he has been arrested," said Salim.

The Rajya Sabha member was suspended days after he attacked the party Sept 20, claiming he was being made a scapegoat and demanding a CBI probe.

"The attempt of the probe seem to be not only to hush up the matter, but also to protect the real culprits," said Salim adding that Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which have also quizzed Ghosh, must pursue the case vigorously.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Rahul Sinha welcomed Ghosh' arrests but demanded the arrests of those who have been named by the Trinamool leader.

"He should have been arrested much earlier. However, our concern is why only he. Complicity of other Trinamool leaders and ministers is not unknown. Why are they not being arrested?" Sinha told IANS, adding a CBI probe was essential to ensure others did not go scot free.

However, he also termed the timing of the action "not surprising".

"It is not surprising," said Sinha on the timing of Ghosh's arrest, just a day after the former CEO of Saradha's media arm said the media houses were set up with "the motto to promote Banerjee as the country's next prime minister".

Left Front chairman Biman Bose as well as union minister Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury echoed the need for a probe of the scam by the CBI.

"Every now and then names of influential people are coming out, the things Ghosh and others are saying, it is imperative that the matter be probed by the CBI so that all truth is revealed," said Bose.

State Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said while the arrest was a prerogative of the investigating officer, "the allegation against the CM has to be properly inquired into".