CBI searches Rose Valley premises; TMC MP under scanner

The company is alleged to have raised over Rs 10,000 crore from its investors which is five times more than the total money raised by the Saradha group of companies

Armed with inputs from Enforcement Directorate, CBI today carried out searches at 43 locations across the country against chit fund company Rose Valley even as it plans to call TMC MP Tapas Paul for questioning in the case.

The Rose Valley company is alleged to have raised over Rs 10,000 crore from its investors which is five times more than the total money raised by the Saradha group of companies, the sources said.

The agency action comes on information provided by the ED, which has been restrained by the Calcutta High Court from carrying out any action the Rose Valley.

Sources in the Finance Ministry said here today that documents and other records showing alleged irregularities have been provided by the ED based on which CBI carried out searches today which included the residence of Paul.

CBI spokesperson said searches were carried out at 27 locations of the company in West Bengal besides seven places in Tripura, one each in Odisha, Assam, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.

During the search operations carried out today, CBI sources said they have recovered some incriminating documents which will require clarifications from company's promoters and former promoters which include Paul, the sources claimed.

The official said besides residence of Paul, who was in the past a director of two Rose Valley group companies, the residence of Rose Valley chairman Gautam Kundu and managing director Shibomoy Datta were searched during the operation today.

Residential premises of the company's directors including Abir Kundu, Ramlal Goswami and Ashok Saha were also searched, the official said.