Saradha scam: Suicides, political spats continue

The stream of suicides in the wake of the Saradha chit fund scam - the biggest financial racket to hit West Bengal - continued Thursday with a 'ponzi' firm agent found hanging in Jalpaiguri district.

Bubai Ghosh, an agent of a deposit seeking company of the I-Core Group, was found hanging in his house in Jalpaiguri early Thursday, police said.

Family members said he had been under severe pressure following investors seeking refunds in the aftermath of the Saradha scam.

Following the collapse of the Saradha Group, more than a dozen agents and depositors of Group and similar chit fund companies have committed suicide in the state.

Meanwhile, the political brinksmanship over the scam continued with Congress leader Abdul Mannan Thursday announcing his decision to approach the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation into the muddle.

"A CBI probe is imperative. That's why I will be soon approaching the SC praying for a CBI investigation not only in the Saradha scam but on all the chit fund companies operating in West Bengal," said Mannan.

While the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress has been trying all measures to keep at bay a probe by the central agency, the opposition- Left Front and the Congress have been clamoring for the CBI to intervene.

Several public interest litigations are lying before the Calcutta High Court requesting a probe by the country's premier investigation agency.

The Left Front which has been incessantly criticising the Banerjee regime over its "shoddy" investment of the scam continuing its tirade said the absence of a central agency probe was compounding the misery of the hapless victims and making life easier for the culprits.

"With passage of time, the problem is getting increasingly complex. While the apprehensions of the oppressed victims are multiplying, the delay is making life easier for the culprits," Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist leader demanded the immediate arrest of all those involved in the scam and the seizure of all their properties.

Saradha boss Sudipta Sen and two his aides are now behind bars and prosecuted for cheating and conspiracy.