CBI arrests Sudipta Sen's adviser

The CBI Saturday arrested Shivnarayan Das, said to be an advisor of Saradha scam purported kingpin Sudipta Sen, in connection with the multi-billion chit fund scandal. A fully loaded revolver was also seized from him.

"Shivnarayan Das has been arrested today by the CBI for his involvement in the case against Saradha Realty India Ltd and others. A notice was earlier served at his residence but he did not respond and was neither available nor did he join investigation till date," said a Central Bureau of Information spokesperson.

"He was on the run and CBI was tracking him incessantly," she said.

Acting on a tip off, the CBI sleuths detained Das, and arrested him after a through interrogation.

"When he was arrested, he was also carrying an imported 0.38 fully-loaded revolver along with ammunition which were also seized under due procedure," she said.

Sources said Das had allegedly advised Sen to launch a ponzi scheme and attract depositors by promising huge returns. In turn, Sen had made Das a director and shareholder of Saradha Realty after starting the business.

Meanwhile, CBI personnel searched nine locations in West Bengal including the office and residences of Win Realcon in the chit fund scam case, an agency official said.

"Searches are being conducted at nine locations in West Bengal in the residential as well as official premises of Win Realcon and its directors," the official said.

Many teams of CBI officers conducted the searches across Barrackpore, Khardaha, Sodepur and Habra in North 24 Parganas district and seized several documents.

Win Realcon is one of the several non-Saradha group companies against which the CBI has registered cases while probing the multi-crore-rupee chit fund scam.

The case against Win Realcon, on allegations of criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and violation of Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme (Banning) Act, was registered in November last year.