CBI to file first chargesheet in Saradha scam by October-end

So far the agency has arrested 10 and probed numerous people in the conspiracy behind the scam

The Special Crime Branch of CBI, which started probing the Saradha multi-crore rupees ponzi scheme scam four months ago, would file the first chargesheet by October end.

“By the end of October, we will file the first chargesheet on the basis of evidences which CBI has obtained after a series of arrests and interrogations,” a senior official of the investigating agency told PTI today.

The first chargesheet would cover a part of the investigations and those persons against whom adequate evidence had been found, he said.

The agency was probing aspects like criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust in the Saradha episode.

He said so far the agency had arrested ten and interrogated numerous people to probe the conspiracy behind the scam, which left thousands of depositors cheated.

CBI had also summoned West Bengal Textiles Minister Shyamapada Mukherjee and painter Shuvoprasanna, a person close to the top Trinamool Congress leadership, in connection with the crime, the official said.

It would also grill those whose names had cropped during the interrogation of the accused. Asked whether CBI would be deterred from interrogating influential political persons whose names surfaced in the probe fearing backlash, the official said “We are not at all concerned about what will happen. Our director has clearly told us that whosoever is found to be guilty of offense should be interrogated. Nobody will be spared and we cannot afford to do so”. He said ‘serious’ staff crunch was causing a problem in speeding up the probe.

“Only nine to ten officers are engaged in the Saradha probe. This is not sufficient.”