Manoranjana Sinh, former journalist and estranged wife of ex-Union Minister Matang Sinh was arrested along with Santanu Ghosh, a businessman, in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam by the CBI on Wednesday.
The agency arrested Manoranjana for allegedly taking money from the Saradha Group chairman Sudipto Sen by threatening him.
CBI sources said she has been accused of misappropriation of funds, cheating and criminal conspiracy. Matang is already under judicial custody in connection with the scam. The agency has also arrested Kolkata-based entrepreneur Ghosh, co-founder of the now-defunct Xenitis Group, in connection with the scam.
Last year, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested Ghosh who faced money laundering allegations related to the scam. He has been on bail since 26 August 2014.
Alleged mastermind of the scam, Shantanu Sen has claimed that Ghosh had pressurised him to purchase his automobile company which had “huge liabilties”. CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh said both the arrested accused will be produced in Alipore court here tomorrow.
CBI spokesperson said both arrested have been interrogated earlier. They not only failed to explain the facts, but also allegedly concealed vital information and did not cooperate with the CBI.
Their alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy with then CMD of the said Group for obtaining personal gain of huge amount running into crores of rupees by way of misappropriation of funds collected from innumerable poor investors and also cheating them have come during the on-going investigation.
— CBI Spokesperson
The agency had registered the case on June 04, 2014 in accordance with the Supreme Court order on 9 May 2014 against the then CMD of Saradha Group Shantanu Sen and others under sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy, cheating and other offences.
It was alleged that the accused persons of the Group of Companies collected huge funds from investors under various investment schemes by fraudulently promising them high returns but failed to pay the amount to them and thereby cheated them.
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