GUWAHATI, Sept 9 � The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has questioned three Assam-based employees of the Saradha Group in connection with the chit fund scam involving the company and more persons, including �some influential persons� of the State, are likely to be grilled soon.
CBI sources told The Assam Tribune that the employees of the Saradha Group were grilled at the office of the Bureau in Kolkata. The Bureau is trying to ascertain the dealings of the Saradha Group in Assam and the activities of the group chief, Sudipto Sen in the State. The questioning of the Saradha employees may lead to the unearthing of vital information about the connection of Sen with different people of the State, the sources added. However, the sources refused to divulge the details of the questioning.
The sources revealed that three other persons � singer Sadananda Gogoi, businessman Rahul Bajaj and Monoranjana Singh who used to own a TV channel � have already been questioned for their alleged links with the Saradha Group chief. The sources did not rule out the possibility of the CBI questioning them again �if required.�
Bureau sources said that more persons from the State, including a few �influential persons,� are likely to be questioned soon. During questioning, Sen claimed that while doing business in Assam, he used to pay �protection money� to a number of influential persons in the State and the Bureau already raided the residences of former Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Anjan Dutta and former Director General of Assam Police, Sankar Baruah. They are likely to be questioned by the CBI soon.
Meanwhile, during the investigation into the case, the Enforcement Directorate found that only the Guwahati office of the Saradha Group collected more than Rs 100 crore from the depositors. The ED has already attached a building bought by Sen in Beltola area of the city, the value of which was shown as Rs 5 crore, while the biscuit factory and the building in Dhubri have also been attached.
