Saradha: ED to issue fourth attachment order soon

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the multi-crore Saradha ponzi scam, will issue the fourth attachment order for Saradha Group's properties by the end of this month, ED sources said.

“We'll soon be issuing attachment orders of Saradha property in North Bengal, Malda, Kolkata and Bishnupur by the end of October,” they told PTI.

“Everyday new property is coming to the notice of ED,” they said most of these were “layered” (not in the name of Saradha Group chief Sudipto Sen). The forthcoming attachment would be of substantial value and the order would be issued after all legal formalities were completed as most of them were not in Sen's name. So far, ED had issued three attachment orders of property valued at almost Rs 250 crore.

Asked when ED would file its first charge sheet as the CBI already did so on October 22, they said “it would be done soon”. “We will be able to file the first chargesheet when all the attachments are over and we will also wait for the CBI to file its final chargesheet,” they said. Asserting that the ED probe is firmly on track, they said that the agency would be able to complete the investigation process probably by November.

ED had started the Saradha probe in April 2013. Regarding painter Subhaprasanna's studio equipment which the ED had surveyed recently, they said that the agency was also examining the possibility of attaching those as well. The agency had also attached the bank accounts of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan football clubs.