Chit-fund scam: Left leaders meet PM, Chidambaram; demand CBI probe

New Delhi, May 9 (ANI): Leaders of the Left Parties met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram here on Thursday, and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the chit fund scam in West Bengal.

The delegation included CPI-M leaders Sitaram Yechury, Basudeb Acharia, Suryakanta Mishra and Asim Dasgupta, CPI leader Prabodh Panda and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Manohar Tirkey.

Mishra, who is the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, had earlier claimed that those running ponzi schemes provided funds to the ruling Trinamool Congress and a dozen MPs and MLAs would be in trouble if a CBI probe was conducted. He also alleged that the TMC had 'a give and take relationship'.

Yechury said that the state government's recent move to enact a new law to protect small depositors was only to provide chit fund operators time to re-locate their properties.

The delegation is expected to meet President Pranab Mukherjee later this evening.

In wake of the Saradha Chit Fund scam, the Central Government had earlier set up a Special Task Force in the Serious Fraud Investigations Office (SFIO) to investigate the affairs of such companies.

The Centre has also set up an Inter-Ministerial Group to strengthen coordination among different government agencies to curb fraudulent money raising activities in the wake of Kolkata-based Saradha Group cheating investors through fraudulent money pooling scheme. The group would hold its first meeting on May 16.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier last month announced the setting up of an inquiry commission headed by a former Calcutta High Court judge to probe the chit-fund scam. She had also announced the setting up of a Special Investigation Team led by the Director-General of Police to probe the scam.

Banerjee urged people to register their complaints with the inquiry commission that would have four members, including a retired IPS officer, one person from the corporate sector and renowned economists. (ANI)