Assam ex- mantris may get summons

The Central Bureau of Investigation probing the multi- crore rupees Saradha scam may summon ex- ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma, Anjan Dutta and ex- DGP Shankar Baruah soon for questioning on charges of taking protection money from Sudipta Sen.

Informing that businessman Rajesh Bajaj and singer Sadananda Gogoi were the key link of Sudipta Sen with politicians and the police, authoritative sources in the CBI told this newspaper that after Manoranjana Sinh, estrange wife of exunion minister Matang Sinh, the agency has been questioning Mr Bajaj and Mr Gogoi who were instrumental in clinching the deal of “protection money”.

Informing that apart from politicians and the police, many journalists also got away with huge amount of money of Saradha to buy peace from the insurgent groups of the state for the company, sources said that Sudipta Sen confessed that he was forced to spend a huge amount of public money on the police, politicians and media in Assam.

Though, the CBI was tight- lipped about their future course of action. On asked about clarification of ex- ministers whose houses were raid- ed, CBI sources said that raids are conducted after due consideration and home works whenever it is necessary for investigation.

Mr Sarma, meanwhile, appeared before the media on Monday to clarify that he met Sudipta Sen in a social gathering and inaugurated his biscuit factory at Dhubri in Assam on request of journalist Subir Bhaumik who worked for BBC as a correspondent.