TMC's questions over Chennai lawyer's role in Saradha Group

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Apr 25 2013 | 5:05 PM IST
On the backfoot over the chit fund scam in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress today raised questions over the role of a senior Chennai-based lawyer who is married to a Congress union minister.
Sudipta Sen, Chairman of the scandal-ridden Saradha Group, who was arrested two days ago, has said in a purported letter to CBI that politicians, journalists and lawyers had blackmailed him and taken money assuring him protection.
Those named by him included TMC MPs Srinjoy Bose and Kunal Ghosh, who have denied the charges, a Congress minister from Assam and Nalini Chidambaram, wife of Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
Without mentioning her name, the TMC put a series of questions on its official website under the headline "Why was a Chennai lady lawyer fixing deals in the Saradha scam? Congress minister must clarify".
Among the questions was the allegation by TMC that the woman lawyer charged Rs one crore to draft an agreement and asked why was she paid such a "generous" fee and what was the quid pro quo. Another question was why was a lawyer from Chennai engaged when there were so many good lawyers were available in New Delhi and Guwahati.
However, sources close to Nalini Chidambaram rejected the allegation that she applied pressure on Saradha Group to invest in a northeast television channel. Instead, she advised the channel against accepting funds from Saradha Group, the sources said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 25 2013 | 5:05 PM IST

Next Story