AGARTALA, August 29 (TIWN): Tripura cadre IPS officer CBI Joint Director Rajiv Singh held meetings with Chief Secretary on Friday about the impending CBI investigation against Chit Fund companies which duped lakhs of investors. IPS officer Rajib Singh few years back was IG of Tripura Police and considered a trusted officer of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. Even though Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is having some sleepless nights these days as the ghost of chitfund is haunting him like anything but it is to be seen whether CBI Joint Director Rajiv Singh leads an impartial CBI investigation against Rose Valley, Sarada,Waris, I-Core chit funds which in connivance with State's CPI-M leadership were involved in massive looting of hundreds of crores from investors who are mostly poor,middle class people. Also it is to be seen whether CBI Joint Director plans for any action against Minister Bijita Nath who herself was a Rose Valley Chit Fund agent and promoter of multiple Chit Funds in State. Corruption tainted CM Manik Sarkar’s few cabinet ministers and CPI-M party directly involved in massive Chit Fund scams in State.

 CBI Joint Director Singh is scheduled met Tripura Police DGP K.Nagraj on Saturday about Chit Fund investigations. Even though unrelated but its highly interesting to see a CBI Joint Director meeting Tripura’s corrupt DGP K. Nagraj against whom CBI filed charge sheet in March 29, 2007 for amassing disproportionate wealth over 500 times than known sources of income. 

CBI case against DGP Nagraj is still in progress. So, one can imagine the fate of Chit Fund investigation under such tainted official. If CBI does even 10% of investigative work like it did in Bengal then few Tripura Ministers will surely goto jail like Madan Mitra.

Manik Sarkar would have never imagined that the things would take such a nasty turn as the opposition is demanding hard for CBI enquiry into the multicrore rupees chit fund scam in the state and the involvement of CPI(M) party leaders including Chief Minister Sarkar. 

The situation has aggravated more with the past devlopment s in the state capital.

On March 27,  the opposition leader in the Tripura Legislative Assembly Sudip Roy Barman termed Mr. Sarkar as a “Brand Ambassador” of various chind fund companies that grew like mushrooms over the last few years . Mr. Barman had alleged that the Non Banking Financial Companies were given trade licenses by the state Government run under his leadership.

In the Press meet, the opposition leader further lleged that inspired by the “wide open arms” attitude of the chief minister, other ministers as well as the other party leaders of the CPI(M) state unit also started promoting these chit fund companies by being present in their different programmes and praising the companies in those programmes. Party leaders in different capacities started taking advantage of the situation created by the hobnobing of the top brass of the party with chit fund companies operating in the state.  On march 29, The leader of the opposition alongwith five more opposition MLAs met the state Governor PB Acharya and demanded  CBI probe into the activities of chitfund companies in the state.

The situation further worsened when a leading Kolkata based news channel aired adiscussion on the chit funds’ operations in the state. Political thinktanks here are of the opinion that the much highlighted clean image of the chief minister was damagedafter the telecast of the particular programme in the news channel.  Even the State General Secretary of CPI(M) Mr. Bijon Dhar who was so far taking a staunch stand defending the party and the chief minister against any allegation about the involvement of the party leaders said that the chief minister could have averted the inauguration programme of the Amusement Park owned by RoseValley Group at Amtali near Agartala in 2008.Thf the chief minister in his speech during the inaugural programme praised the activities of  Rosevalley Group and also its owner .

The chief minister ‘s tensi on was clearlly visible in his face yesterday while he was announcing the adoption of the central pay scale for the state Govt employees. Mr. Sarkar even tried to make personal attack on the opposition leader when he was asked to clarify his proximity with the chit fund companies.

Though the Chief minister tried to play down the spirit of the journo by saying that he was not aware of the fact that the Rose Valley Group was a chit fund company, Mr. Barman later questioned his innocence by putting reverse question that when the same party’s Governor in West Bengal demanded SEBI’s action against different chitfund companies including the Rose Valley Group How can Mr. Sarkar remain unawareabout Rose Valley Group’s identity. 

It may be mentioned here that the same chief minister who once was very enthusiastic in attending various programmes o f the chit fund companies including Rose Valley, Sarada, Cosmic Group of Companies, Icore, Tower Group, Prayag Group is now running away from the shadow of chit fund ghost. 

Now Tripura will be witnessing whether Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and CPI-M can put a curtain on CBI investigation or get trapped under CBI net.