GUWAHATI, Sept 16 � The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will finalise the list of persons to be summoned to Kolkata for questioning in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam in the next phase within the next few days after examining the confessions of singer Sadananda Gogoi and three employees of the Saradha Group.
Sources in the Central investigating agency told The Assam Tribune that the statements given by the Saradha employees already questioned by the CBI as well as the confessions by Sadananda Gogoi, who was arrested in connection with the case, are being examined thoroughly.
Sources said the list of persons to be questioned in the next phase would be finalised shortly and summons would be issued to them to travel to Kolkata for questioning. It may be mentioned here that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the CBI to investigate into the cases against the Saradha Group, is operating from Kolkata.
On the charges against singer Sadananda Gogoi, who was arrested last Friday, sources said the main charge was that he was actively helping the Saradha Group to run its business in the State. Gogoi came into contact with Saradha Group chief Sudipto Sen when he did an advertisement campaign of the company. But later on, Gogoi introduced Sen and other senior officers of the company to influential persons of the State. The CBI also alleged that Gogoi even went to the extent of carrying money on behalf of the company to be paid to influential persons as �protection money� and in the process kept some of the money for himself.
CBI sources said the employees of the Saradha Group including the newspapers owned by the company, would not be held as accused in the case if they only worked for the company.
But if anyone was found to be involved in the illegal activities of the company, he or she may face the consequences, sources added.
The CBI has already raided the residences of two legislators Himanta Biswa Sarma and Anjan Dutta, former DGP Sankar Baruah as well as those of Matang Singh, Monoranjana Singh and Rahul Bajaj in connection with the scam.
