Saradha scam: Kunal Ghosh wants joint interrogation with Bengal CM

Suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh, now behind bars in connection with the Saradha scam, Saturday told a city court that he should be jointly interrogated with scam kingpin Sudipta Sen and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

While Ghosh's proposal has been welcomed by rival parties, the Trinamool accused Ghosh of dragging in Banerjee's name to save his skin.

Presented before the court, with the Central Bureau of Investigation seeking to take him into their custody, Ghosh said he should be interrogated face to face with Banerjee and Sen so that his contentions can be corroborated and the truth behind the scam unravelled.

Ghosh, who headed Saradha's media arm, in a video shot prior to his arrest in November last year claimed that the Trinamool top leadership met Sen at Kalimpong in March 2012 on the sidelines of an official tour by the chief minister.

Ghosh has repeatedly alleged the complicity of several of his party leaders in the scam.

While state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury welcomed the proposal, Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee attacked Ghosh for dragging in Banerjee's name.

"Now that he has realised that he may be subjected to punishment by law anytime for his wrongdoings, he is trying to take the CM's name in a futile attempt to save himself," said Chatterjee, who also castigated a section of media for running a smear campaign against his party and the government.

"We welcome what Ghosh has proposed and the chief minister should accept it. Ghosh can play a catalytic role in unravelling the truth behind the scam. So the CBI should get Mamata, Sen and Ghosh to sit together and interrogate," said Chowdhury.

CPI-M MP Mohammad Salim too welcomed the move and said Banerjee should come out with whatever she knows about the scam.