Saradha scam: Trinamool criticised after SC orders CBI probe

Hitting out at the West Bengal government for blocking a CBI probe demand into the Saradha scam, the Congress, BJP and the CPI-M Friday welcomed the Supreme Court order entrusting the investigation to the federal agency.

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Shashi Tharoor said the apex court judgment signified the victory of the "innocent victims of the scam".

"We want independent bodies of this country to do proper investigation and fix responsibility. Our only anxiety was there should be no cover-up. Here the state government seemed to be more inclined to cover up the matter by saying that no CBI action was necessary," the Congress leader said.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the CBI probe was needed as the agents and depositors were taking their own lives. "The state government should cooperate for a free and fair probe."

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the Trinamool Congress government stood "completely exposed".

"What is important is the money trail. The SIT (special investigation team set up by the Mamata (Banerjee) government to probe the scandal) has no clue about it, or doesn't want to know about it."

"Now, people want to know where the money has gone, and how the money can be recovered," he said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat, welcoming the apex court's order, exuded confidence that those behind the chit fund scam would be identified and action taken.

"The CBI probe could not be given earlier as the Mamata government was opposing. All assets of the Saradha Group should be attached and all sufferers compensated," he said.

Accusing the Trinamool of being "steeped in corruption", state Left Front chairman Biman Bose demanded the CBI should immediately arrest those whose links with the Saradha Group were established in television footages.