New Delhi/Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien on Saturday said he has informed the CBI that he would appear before the agency, which has summoned him in the Saradha ponzi scheme case, after the Parliament session ends on August 7, and asserted that he would not be intimidated.
The Rajya Sabha MP, who is also a spokesperson of West Bengal’s ruling party, was asked to appear before a CBI team in the first week of August, officials said Friday.
“Earlier, when Parliament was in session I was served a notice. I immediately wrote to the CBI stating that since Parliament was in session I would appear on a date after the session has concluded,” O’Brien said in a statement.
“However, a day before I was supposed to meet the CBI, they called and informed me that I am not required to meet them. I also sent them a letter reconfirming the same,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
“Since February, I have not received any intimation from them. Now, during this Parliament session, I was served a notice asking me to appear before them on August 1. I have sent them a letter stating that I would meet them after this session is over on August 7,” O’Brien said.
Officials had Friday said the quizmaster-turned-politician may be questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) about some financial transactions in the bank accounts related to TMC mouthpiece ‘Jago Bangla’, of which he is the publisher.
The CBI is investigating links of arrested Bengali film producer Shrikant Mohta to the promoters of Rose Valley, a company accused in the scam. Mohta had allegedly cut a deal of Rs 25 crore with the promoters of Rose Valley. (PTI)
