Saradha scam: Kunal Ghosh names West Bengal minister Madan Mitra in court

Suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh today dragged the names of West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra as well as party Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose and his father in the Saradha case in a city court amidst loud protests by a section of lawyers. Ghosh said before Metropolitan Magistrate Arvind Mishra that since Mitra was the president of several Saradha Group Companies employees unions he should be questioned by the CBI in connection with the scam.

The minister's name came up when the CBI counsel opposed Ghosh's bail prayer and sought 14 days' judicial custody for unveiling the "larger conspiracy" in the case involving alleged transfer of huge money of Saradha Tours and Travels to Saradha Media, of which Ghosh was the CEO. Though he was represented by a lawyer today, Ghosh suddenly started saying from the witness box that why Madan Mitra should not be questioned in order to unearth the larger conspiracy.

He also said that Srinjoy Bose and his father Tutu (Swapan Sadhan) Bose, a former TMC Upper House MP, should also be examined alleging money transactions between the Saradha Group and a television channel. At this, a section of lawyers present in the court room but not associated with the case started protesting at the top of their voices that Ghosh cannot take the names of the chief minister or any other minister of the state in the court.

Judge Mishra intervened asking the lawyers' locus standi and told them that the court room was not a place to stage protests. The hearing was abruptly concluded as the judge rose and Ghosh was immediately whisked away from the court room. Ghosh had earlier stated before the court that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee be quizzed alongwith Sen and himself in connection with the Saradha case.

Ghosh last week told the court that chit fund companies had sponsored an event last year of which former Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee was the chairman.
Chatterjee is now Higher Education Minister. Earlier during the hearing, lawyers for main accused Sudipta Sen and his close associate Debjani Mukherjee prayed for their bails claiming that 50 days had passed since their arrest in this particular case and that they were both unwell. Mukherjee could not be produced before the court personally as she was reportedly ill. Sen's counsel claimed that he was suffering from neurological problems and that he be examined at the state-run Bangur Institute of Neurology. The judge later extended the judicial remand of all the three accused till September 29.