Matang Sinh arrested by CBI

THE CHARGE

Sinh has been arrested in the Saradha realty case on charges of crimil conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation of funds.

IANS & Staff REPORTER

KOLKATA/GUWAHATI, January 31: The CBI on Saturday arrested former union minister Matang Sinh for his alleged complicity in the multi–crore rupee Saradha chit fund scam.

Sinh, who was minister of state for parliamentary affairs in the PV rasimha Rao–led Congress government (1991–96), was arrested after being grilled for more than seven hours.

“Matang Sinh has been arrested in the Saradha realty case on charges of crimil conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation of funds. He will be presented before a court on Sunday,” said a Central Bureau of

Investigation (CBI) official.

Saradha Group chief and purported scam kingpin Sudipta Sen, now behind bars, in a letter to the CBI, had accused Sinh of cheating him of Rs 28 crore on the promise of a 50 percent stake in a media house owned by the ex–MP.

Sen had also accused Sinh’s estranged wife Manoranja of duping him of Rs 25 crore in return for some shares in a TV channel owned by her. The CBI had earlier grilled Manoranja besides attaching Sinh’s properties and raiding his offices and residences.

The Enforcement Directorate which too is probing the scam, had interrogated Sinh about his alleged links with Sen and the Saradha group.

The arrest of the former Congress MP from Assam comes a day after the CBI grilled Trimool Congress general secretary and former railway minister Mukul Roy.

Probing the multi–crore rupee scandal that came to light in April 2013, the CBI has arrested a host of influential people including Trimool Rajya Sabha member Srinjoy Bose, former IPS officer Rajat Majumdar, West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra and Assamese singer Sadanda Gogoi.

Congress MLA Himanta Biswa Sarma and State Congress chief was also questioned by the investigating agency recently in the case.