Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kunal Ghosh, who is in the eye of the storm in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal, tells Kavita Chowdhury in a telephonic interview that he was nothing more than an “in-charge of editorial and management” of the media ventures of the Saradha group.
The Saradha group’s Sudipta Sen has named you in his letter to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and has accused you of extortion and claimed that you forced him to invest in Channel 10 and other media outlets...
Channel 10 was bought by Sudipta Sen in March-April 2010 and I only joined when there was a tie-up between Channel 10 and Sangbad Pratidin in September 2010. At that time, I wasn’t even a member of TMC and nor a Rajya Sabha MP. So, how could I be using my influence. I was then only in charge of the editorial. He is an absconder, all of Sudipta Sen’s allegations are baseless.
Till date two FIRs (first information reports) have been lodged against you in Kolkata...
See, the first FIR was filed by 120 employees of Channel 10 and then the next day, another FIR was filed naming me by another 22 employees for non-payment of salaries. Even these employees know that I was responsible as CEO (chief executive officer) of editorial and management only. Finance and accounts were under the charge of Sudipta Sen. I had no authorisation to sign cheques or approve payments. I cannot disburse salaries. These FIRs are politically motivated, i.e. internal politics of the organisation.
As incharge of editorial, were you not responsible in some way?
It was becoming untenable. When he (Sudipta Sen) was not listening to anything regarding the employees, I resigned on April 3. I gave it in writing to Sen why I was resigning. Before that, the past three months, the difficulties that I faced in making this channel run, no one is aware of.
Will you resign from your post as a Rajya Sabha MP?
I have offered to resign and written a letter to my supremo Mamata Banerjee. I have stated I want to face investigation and if the investigation reveals in any way that I was connected financially to the chit fund business, I am ready to resign.
My party leaders, Banerjee and Mukul Roy, know everything.
But senior TMC leaders like Saugata Roy and Sisir Adhikari have openly demanded your resignation?
I don’t know anything about this. No such thing has been communicated to me.
As of this Saturday morning, another FIR was filed against you by journalists of Sakalbela.
Yes, even I have heard so. Let me find out the details.
