By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Sarada chit fund scam which rocked Bengal, also cheated investors from Garo Hills.
Investors lost an amount of Rs 21.5 crore deposited with the company. Many affected people approached the West Garo Hills district administration for its intervention on the matter on Saturday.
Sarada is in the news for duping several investors in Kolkata and Guwahati which prompted the Centre to initiate a high level inquiry.
A group of people, who were duped by the company, met the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi on Saturday.
They have also petitioned the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya, Tarun Gogoi and Dr Mukul Sangma respectively for their intervention.
According to the memorandum signed by 85 affected persons, the Sarada Realty had a branch in Phulbari in West Garo Hills for the last three years and also spread its activities to areas like Chibinang, Tikrikilla, Hatsingimari, Mankachar, Tura, Mahendraganj and Williamnagar. The agents collected money ranging
from Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 crore and the total amount collected was Rs 21.5 crore.
According to reports, in April, the staff of Saradha Reality India Ltd., Williamnagar Branch lodged a complaint at Williamnagar police station against Sudipta Sen, chairman-cum-managing director and Md. Khorsed Alom, manager, Williamnagar branch of Saradha Reality India Ltd., for the abrupt closure of the branch at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills.
In the initial days, many investors got back their money with interest which had prompted large number of people to invest with the Sarada Group.
With the detection of duping cases, the Phulbari office of Sarada group ceased its operations and the office was also sealed. The investors had deposited Rs 9 crore in Phulbari branch alone.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the people who were duped have sought a bailout package from the Government and also wanted Garo Hills to be included in the purview of the inquiry initiated by the Government.
Bakshi said he will place the grievances of the investors to the State Government for necessary action.
