The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
CBI arrests TMC MP Tapas Paul, Mamata says it’s war
ROSE VALLEY CHIT FUND SCAM
WIDENING THE rift between the West Bengal government and the Centre, the CBI on Friday arrested TMC MP Tapas Paul for his alleged links to Rose Valley, a chit fund organisation that was purportedly running a ponzi scheme.
Following Paul’s arrest, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told her party that “this is war” and alleged that the move was the Centre’s reaction to her criticism of the demonetisation policy.
“I don’t care if they arrest all my MPS. Let them arrest me. At least, I will get some time off and I can write my book. How many MLAS do they want to arrest? You don’t need to summon us. We are ready to present ourselves... Our MP has been arrested because we are protesting against demonetisation,” Mamata told reporters.
Linking BJP leaders Rupa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo to Rose Valley, she alleged, “If an actor does a programme on a channel how can he be blamed? The Rose Valley group had a channel. Who gave them the licence to operate that channel? Both Ganguly and Supriyo had taken benefits from Rose Valley, stayed at their premises. Does that make them criminals?”
The BJP rejected Mamata’s charges and asked her not to give Paul’s arrest a “political twist”.
“Finally, the law has caught up with TMC MP Tapas Paul. The CBI is following the process of law and Mamataji should not give it a political twist by questioning the timing and calling it political vendetta. We have seen in the past that she tried to weave a conspiracy theory of plane crash and army coup but nobody bought them,” said Sidharth Nath Singh, national secretary, BJP.
Summoned by the CBI three days ago, Paul presented himself beforetheagencyattheirregional headquartersatkolkataonfriday, said officials. The actor-turnedpolitician had been involved in “financial transactions” with Rose Valley, the CBI said. “Paul had been summoned by the agency on Tuesday along with TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay for interrogation in relation to the alleged ponzi scam,” said a police officer.
Summarising Mamata’s instructions to her party, TMC spokesperson Derek O’brien said, “Wewillfightitout.”hedescribed the arrest as a “witchhunt”.
In a series of tweets, the Rajya Sabha MP targeted the Centre, and linked the arrest to TMC’S opposition to the note ban. “So now political atrocities against those opposed to #Notebandi and with the movement. We will fight it out,” he tweeted.
TMC sources said Paul and Bandyopadhyay had contacted Mamata after receiving the CBI summons. “She told Bandyopadhyay to tear up the summons and throw it away,” said sources.
“Mamata Banerjee has issued clear instructions to the party. Don’t be afraid, stick together and fight it out. She has said that the Modi government is attempting a two-pronged strategy. On one hand, they are saying they want to keep the federal structure intact between Bengal and Delhi, but they are targeting leaders with false cases. Next, she believes, will be her own family," said a TMC source.
The alleged ponzi scheme being investigated is said to have defrauded depositors to the tune of Rs 17,000 crore. Paul allegedly worked as a director for the companylinkedtotheschemeandaccepted money, in cash and cheques, which is being probed, the CBI claimed.