New
Delhi [India], December 10 : Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday arrested
TMC leader and chairperson Board of
Administrator (BOA) of Burdwan Municipality in an ongoing investigation in a
chit fund fraud case. CBI stated that they had registered the instant case and
taken over the investigation of the case, earlier registered in the year 2014
at Police Station Kulti (West Bengal) in compliance with the orders of the
Supreme Court of India wherein CBI was,
inter alia, directed to take up all Ponzi Scheme cases of West Bengal and
Orissa in addition to other group of companies.
The
accused identified as Pranab Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress leader and
chairperson Board of Administrator (BOA), Burdwan Municipality, was arrested in
connection with corruption allegations in a chit fund case.
It was alleged that the accused persons (trustees of a trust)
allured the public at large to invest in their schemes with a promise of a high
rate of returns at maturity without the requisite permission from the
regulatory authorities. It was further alleged that a large number of investors
invested their hard-earned money with the trust. It was also alleged that the
trustees failed to repay the maturity amount, cheated the investors,
misappropriated their hard-earned money, closed down the branches and fled.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the said
arrested accused was closely associated with the trust and the trustees. It was
further alleged that the said accused was associated in registration of the
trust and allowed the trust to carry on its business of illegal deposit
collection from his commercial complex. It was also alleged during the
investigation that the accused in conspiracy with the other accused (trustee)
had misappropriated Rs.3.74 cr (approximately) from the trust for personal use
through various methods.
Searches were conducted on the premises of the accused which
led to recovery of several incriminating materials. The arrested accused was
produced before the court of CJM, Asansol, and was remanded to two days of
police custody.