Kolkata: Trinamool Congress General Secretary Mukul Roy today sought 15 days extension of time to appear before CBI in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam but the investigating agency said the plea would not be granted.
Speaking to PTI, Roy said “I had confirmed to CBI while I was Delhi that I would appear before it. But at the time the by-poll to two seats in West Bengal had not been announced. “Since I am a key functionary of the party and would be pre-occupied with the by-election, I have sought 15 days time from CBI.” When asked, Roy said he had communicated to the CBI official who had called him up.
“I had phoned the CBI officer who had asked me to appear before the agency. I have also written to him and also sent a fax message.” “I will 100 per cent cooperate with CBI in its investigation,” he said.
CBI had on Monday asked Roy to appear before it when he was in Delhi. The bye-election to Bongaon parliamentary constituency and Krishnagar assembly seat were announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday.
The special crime branch of CBI said it would not grant the extension. An official of the CBI Special Branch said the extension of time to Roy would not be granted and he would have to appear before the agency tommorrow as he had himself stated earlier. “It is ridiculous to grant him extention as he himself has said that he would appear before CBI tomorrow. He has to appear on Thursday as he has earlier said,” the CBI official told the news agency.
Trinamool Congress during the day ruled out removing Roy from the party post in the wake of CBI asking him to appear before it in connection with the Saradha scam and accused BJP of using the investigating agency as its political tool against the party. TMC Secretary-general and state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee told a press conference here that questions wer being raised about the conduct of CBI.
The party, he said, has entrusted Upen Biswas, former Additional Director of CBI and now a minister in Mamata Banerjee government, to advise the party regarding CBI. “The question (of removing Roy) does not arise. He will remain as the party’s (all India) General Secretary and also as MP (of Rajya Sabha). Only because one has been called (by CBI) has he to be removed ?” “BJP is using it (CBI) as a tool for political vindictiveness. Information is being given in advance as part of the conspiracy to harrass and intimidate…Questions have arisen in the minds of the people about the conduct of CBI.
“Since the day CBI started probing the Saradha case in Bengal, in the name of investigation it is conducting itself at the dictates of BJP leaders to harrass the TMC leaders and is being used to serve the political vendetta,” he alleged. Upen Biswas was the head of CBI’s Anti-Corruption Bureau in East Zone. During his tenure in CBI, he dealt with several cases, including the Bihar fodder scam. (PTI)
