Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi here on Monday said that Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has agreed to probe chit fund scam in Assam.
Disclosing that a team of CBI officers are arriving on Tuesday to study more than 120 cases already registered with the Assam police against 11 chit fund companies operating in the state, Mr Gogoi told reporters that they have decided to seek the CBI’s help as names of ministers, police officers and bureaucrats have surfaced. “We believe that a thorough probe by the CBI may unearth all those names who are alleged to have connived and patronised the Saradha reality,” he said.
On asked about name of his minister and MLAs, Mr Gogoi said, “The name of a former DGP has also surfaced but all of them, including minister, has denied their involvement.”
As thousands of investors are in distress, the government has decided to handover investigation to the CBI, said Mr Gogoi, adding that “I am thankful to the CBI that they have readily agreed to start the investigation instead of waiting for official formalities of registration of cases.”
Asserting that his government was not going to defend anyone, Mr Gogoi said, “If someone in my government was patronising Sudipta Sen, the managing director of Saradha Reality, it amounts to his involvement into the crime but I can not decide this unless it is investigated.”
Mr Gogoi responding to questions of mediapersons said that his health minister admitted to have met Mr Sen once late in the night but denied to have taken any money from him.
The CM also indicated that he was in favour of setting up a commission enquiry by financial experts to suggest measures to check the recurrence of such fraud in the future.