The Saradha Group scam has had its repercussions in Assam. Sudipta Sen, CMD of the Group is wanted in several cases of fraud, forgery and breach of trust in the state. The Assam police are seeking his custody for a few days and a team of them will visit Kolkata. Across the state, the police have so far registered 222 cases against 128 chit-fund companies. A Special Investigation Team is supervising the cases. 42 persons involved in 17 cases have been charge sheeted. At least 106 bank accounts involving over Rs. 24 crore have been frozen and nearly Rs. 94 lakh in cash has been seized. Sen is wanted in two cases in Dispur itself. The police have sealed a number of establishments belonging to his Group in different districts of Assam.
The scandal is already rocking the political system in West Bengal with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee desperately trying to blame the crisis on other political parties. The entry of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi throws a new complexion on the tragedy. Gogoi has said that his government will soon move the CBI against Saradha and several other companies embroiled in the swindling racket. At lease one minister in the Gogoi cabinet, health minister Himanta Biswas Sarma and one legislator of the ruling party have figured in the letter that Sudipta Sen is said to have written to the CBI. He has alleged that they were among the politicians who had milked the Saradha Group. Sarma has promptly dismissed the allegation. Nevertheless, it gives a handle to the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Gogoi will have some explaining to do to the Congress High Command in Delhi. It may be recalled that previously Sarma was under a cloud for his nexus with the ULFA but still retained in the ministry.