AGARTALA, February 9 (TIWN): Day-2 of assembly budget session on Monday witnessed heavy uproar over the chit fund issue with opposition staging protests in front of the speaker displaying photographs of Chit fund owners with CM Manik Sarkar. Assembly budget session following the disturbances paused for at least 15 minutes. Opposition led by the Congress leader Sudip RoyBarman during the second day of the assembly session raised the issue of the chit fund companies in state that allegedly deprived the depositors and the agents at large; Opposition pushed for the status of three chit fund companies namely Rose Valley, Saradha and Waris. Minister Badal Chowdhury was functioning on behalf of CM (Home Minister) today replied that the 3 chit fund companies are currently under the investigation of the CBI. Opposition bench in the house today asked that if the these three are under the investigation process then how come the names has not been mentioned? Minister Badal Chowdhury while speaking on the issue of the Chit fund companies mentioned that currently at least 37 chit fund companies are undergoing investigation amongst which the CBI has received the cases against 5 chit fund companies.

However later Opposition leader Sudip Roy Barman slamming the state govt. at the house today said that Chief Minister Manik Sarkar himself urged the people of the state to deposit their money in Rose Valley chit fund company saying that Rose Valley has Rs. 700 crore assets with them. However later talking to the reporters Opposition leader Sudip Roy Barman mentioned that the RBI officials during their arrival here at the state during the year 2013 said that the state govt. has not taken any necessary steps to refrain the chit funds here in Tripura.

Barman alleged that Saradha group, Rose Valley group, Waris group and other chit fund companies cheated thousands of people in the state but no effective measures were taken to arrest the people involved with the fraud. According to Barman, people in huge numbers had invested in Ponzi schemes of the chit fund as the ruling leaders including the chief minister were allegedly involved in promotion of those companies in the state. He claimed along with Saradha group, CM Sarkar by attending various programmes of other Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) — like Rose Valley and Waris Group of Companies promoted them. These companies are now accused of being involved in financial scams and looting hundreds of crores of rupees.