Tripura BJP welcomes CBI chargesheet on Rose Valley scam case, says many Left leaders involved

While the chit fund swindled crores of rupees from the people of Tripura and rolled down shutters, the investigation has revealed that investors of accused company’s Amarpur Branch in Gomati district were cheated through non-refund of their investment and alleged misappropriation of Rs 4.81 crores.

The ruling BJP in Tripura welcomed the supplementary chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Rose Valley Real Estates & Construction Limited (RVRECL) in Gomati district. It alleged that many Left Front leaders and ministers were involved in the ponzi scam.

While the chit fund swindled crores of rupees from the people of Tripura and rolled down shutters, the investigation has revealed that investors of accused company’s Amarpur Branch in Gomati district were cheated through non-refund of their investment and alleged misappropriation of Rs 4.81 crores.

The CBI had earlier registered a case on the orders of the High Court of Tripura. After a series of investigations, the chargesheet was filed Friday, a statement from CBI said.

The supplementary chargesheet was filed against RVRECL, its then chairman and director Gautam Kundu, then directors Shibamoy Dutta, Ashok Kumar Saha and Ram Lal Goswami.

Speaking to reporters, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said, “We have come to know about the supplementary chargesheet. However, the probe is yet to be completed and there were many Left leaders and ministers in the Left Front government who were involved with it. We believe the truth will come out soon and people will get justice”. Bhattacharya also said that many ministers worked as agents of the Rose Valley chit fund, in an oblique reference to former social welfare minister Bijita Nath who once worked with the group.

In April 2018, shortly after the Biplab Deb-led government came to power, Bijita Nath and former PWD minister Badal Choudhury were quizzed by CBI sleuths over the Rose Valley scam. Nath later claimed she was called to discuss the issue as a witness, not an accused. CPM state secretary Goutam Das was quizzed on the chit fund scam as well, among others. Former chief minister Manik Sarkar, who attended an event of Rose Valley at an amusement park in 2008, earlier claimed his government was unaware of the chit fund company’s real intentions.

Referring to Sarkar’s attendance at the chit fund event, the BJP has accused him of promoting the illegal chit fund organization in the state.

The Sarkar government had raided at least 20 locations and attached a host of assets of the chit fund in 2016. At least 37 cases related to different chit fund companies were forwarded to CBI in 2013. The probe agency, however, took up only five. Among its poll promises ahead of 2018 assembly polls, the BJP-IPFT combine announced to hand over chit fund probe to CBI if they were voted to power.

CM Deb handed over 74 such cases, which were then investigated by Special Investigation Teams of Tripura Police to the central agency shortly after swearing-in.

Left Front convener Bijan Dhar said the chargesheet is an effort to malign opposition leaders and supporters. He further said the allegations of involvement of Left leaders in the ponzi scam are baseless.

State Congress vice president Tapas Dey said he feels certain Left and Congress leaders including a few who joined BJP before 2018 polls are being ‘protected’ from the CBI probe due to their proximity with the saffron camp. “This investigation involves lakhs of public money and should not be aimed at anything but truth. We think the timing of the chargesheet was chosen to intimidate opposition ahead of coming municipal polls,” Dey said.

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