Sudipta Sen interrogated by Assam Police

Kolkata, April 28 (IANS) Scam-ridden Saradha Group boss Sudipta Sen, arrested for being the alleged kingpin of the multi-billion rupee chit fund scam, was grilled by Assam Police in the cases of fraud and forgery lodged against him in the state, police sources here said Sunday.

A team of police officers from Assam quizzed Sen Saturday and Sunday about the four cases filed against his group companies in the northeastern state.

Two of the cases were registered in Dispur and one each in Geetanagar and Paltan Bazar.

The group's companies went bust mid-April and downed shutters across West Bengal after they were unable to repay the lakhs of depositors - mainly poor people from villages and small towns - who had parked their hard-earned money with them lured by the promise of huge 25-30 percent returns.

The collapse of the group has already resulted in four agents and depositors committing suicide in West Bengal, while its offices have been attacked and ransacked with the ruling Trinamool Congress in a spot over allegations of links of its leaders - including MPs and a minister - with the group.

Two first information reports (FIRs) have been filed against Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh based on complaints by employees of media organisations run by the group for non-payment of salaries and for not depositing provident fund and tax deducted at source (TDS) with authorities. The media units were shut down by Sen in March and April.

Meanwhile, during interrogation, police have stumbled upon 210 bank accounts of the group.

The Saradha fiasco has triggered widespread protests, while panic-stricken people are demonstrating outside offices of other chit fund companies, seeking immediate return of their money.