A day after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi raked up the Saradha chit-fund scam during his campaign in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) hit back on Sunday, saying Union finance minister P Chidambaram is using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under his ministry as a political tool ahead of polls.
“Chidambaram is there in his office only for 26 more days. He is using the ED to malign the TMC ahead of election in the name of investigation into Saradha,” said West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra. “Where was the ED in the last two years? Why are they suddenly proactive ahead of elections?” he asked.
Mitra went ahead to drag Chidamabram's wife Nalini’s alleged connection with Saradha promoter Sudipta Sen. "Why was a Chennai lady lawyer fixing deals in the Saradha scam? The Congress minister must clarify. Why is the ED not investigating that?,” Mitra asked.
Sen, who is currently behind the bars, had in a purported letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named Nalini, a Chennai-based lawyer, in connection with a business deal.
Mitra also raked up Chidambaram's son alleged involvement in the controversial Aircel-Maxis deal.
“Why was a lawyer from Chennai engaged by Sudipta Sen when there were so many good lawyers were available in New Delhi and Guwahati? Why it is not being investigated by ED,” asked another TMC leader and member of Parliament Derek O'Brien.
TMC's attack on the Congress came amid the buzz that the ED is likely quiz some TMC leaders in connection with multi-crore Saradha scam.
However, responding to a query on the same, O'Brien said: “We are not afraid of anything. We are questioning the timing and political motive of the Congress. The people of Bengal know what the truth is.”
ED had recently arrested Saradha promoter Sen’s wife and son for alleged money laundering . Other than Sen, suspended TMC MP Kunal Ghosh, too, is in jail for his alleged role in the scam. There are reports that the ED might summon as many as eight TMC leaders sometime next week to track the money trail.
Notably, the Supreme Court is likely to decide on a petition seeking a CBI enquiry into the scam on April 23, a day before the second phase of polling in West Bengal.
