A new division bench will hear the public interest litigation (PIL) on Thursday seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the multi-crore Saradha Group scam.
The decision for a new bench was taken on Wednesday as the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Arun Mishra would not be available for the next hearing, advocate Subrata Mukherjee, who filed the PIL, told Business Line .
“Chief Justice Mishra will not be available to hear the case in the next hearing (Thursday) as he going out of the city. Since the matter is very important, we urged him to assign a new bench,” said the lawyer.
The division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalyo Bagchi, had on Tuesday, directed CBI to file an affidavit on whether it has taken up any investigation against Saradha Group in other States.
Meanwhile, Tripura is also reported to have written to the Centre urging for a CBI enquiry into the scam.
Medical Bulletin
The Saradha Group, which went bust in April, is said to have mobilised nearly Rs 20,000 crore allegedly through ponzi schemes.
The Group’s CEO Sudipta Sen, and three other close aides are currently behind bars.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, CPI(M) Politburo member and the Opposition leader in the State Assembly, Suryakanta Mishra, demanded the West Bengal Government to issue daily medical bulletins on Sudipta Sen’s health condition in custody.
“I say this with a lot of seriousness that a daily medical bulletin on Sudipta Sen be issued as attempts are being made to silence him while in custody to cover up the involvement of many important persons connected to the scam,” Mishra told newspersons.
Coming down heavily on the State Government for delaying the probe, he said, “It is quite clear that the Government has been shielding those directly involved in the scam and with that in mind, we moved the President and the Prime Minister to submit that the CBI probe is a must to reveal the truth.”
ED Probe
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also appealed before the Calcutta High Court that it be allowed to probe into the multi-crore scam under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Terming the matter as “of national and international importance” Justice Mishra, said that the State Government should provide necessary information to the ED.
shobha.roy@thehindu.co.in