DHAKA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Tapas Paul was arrested by the CBI on Friday in connection with the Rose Valley Group chit fund scam case.

It is alleged that the actor-turned- politician gained undue financial benefits from the Rose Valley Group, reports the Hindu.

The development comes two days after the CBI issued summons to Mr. Paul and another TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay in connection with the case.

The TMC leadership has dubbed the arrest as an instance of “political vendetta” by the Centre.

According to sources in the CBI, Tapas Paul was arrested following “several incongruities in his statements,” during interrogation. “Tapas Paul was arrested due to his contradictory statements during interrogation and lack of cooperation in the probe,” said a senior CBI official.

The Rose Valley Group allegedly raised from market Indian Rupee 1500 crore, which is several times more than the Saradha Group had collected.

The arrest comes at a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is continuously targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi ondemonetisation.

Brushing aside the TMC’s allegation of “political vendetta”, BJP State president Dilip Ghosh said that Tapas Paul’s arrest was “just a matter of time and yet again proved the association of several TMC leaders with chit funds.”

In September last year, former State Minister and senior TMC leader Madan Mitra, who was arrested by the CBI in December 2014, was granted bail by a city court.

Earlier this year, the CBI filed charge sheets against Rose Valley Group Chairman Goutam Kundu and three other accused.

BDST: 1001 HRS, DEC 30, 2016
BD