I am being made a sacrificial lamb over Saradha scam, alleges Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh

Kolkata: Trouble erupted in the Trinamool Congress today with three of its MPs lashing out at party chief Mamata Banerjee and other leaders at a public meeting in Kolkata.

Kunal Ghosh, the Trinamool Rajya Sabha member, today said that he is being made a sacrificial lamb in the Saradha chit fund scam. "The Saradha incident has been dumped upon me. I have written to the Chief Minister and said I am ready to face the entire probe. But you can't put me in front and hide yourself," he said.

Mr Ghosh also said, "I have always gone to all investigations without saying a thing that could embarrass the party. But in the coming days I might have to open my mouth. In fact, I am apprehending an attack on my life."

He made these comments hours before the Trinamool Congress said it was issuing showcause notices to him and two other MPs, Shatabdi Roy and Tapas Pal, for making anti-party statements.

This morning, Mr Ghosh, along with Shatabdi Roy and Tapas Pal, had addressed a gathering at a blood donation camp organised by another Trinamool MP Somen Mitra and his wife Shikha Mitra, who is a Trinamool MLA. Mrs Mitra has been openly critical of Ms Banerjee in recent times.

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The three MPs alleged that a section of the party leadership was trying to ignore those who had made sacrifices for Trinamool Congress's growth.

Mr Ghosh has been facing trouble after allegations made against him by Saradha Group chief Sudipta Sen, whose chit fund business went bust in April, leaving thousands of depositors in West Bengal bankrupt.

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Mr Ghosh was Group CEO of Saradha's media interests but insists he was just a "salaried employee" who had nothing to do with the company's chit fund business. Two FIRs were filed against him by Saradha's employees, who allege he knew of the group's precarious finances, but did not warn them. He was also questioned by the  police.

"I was not the owner or director of Saradha. No one can say that Kunal told them raise money for Saradha. Those who did do that, police did not call them. I was quizzed for two hours. I want CBI to probe the scam. Let CBI question everyone Sudipta Sen knows. There is a limit to the pretense of honesty," Mr Ghosh said today.

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