CBI again quizzes Srinjoy Bose

Kolkata, Feb 14 (IANS) Days after he quit the Rajya Sabha and the Trinamool Congress on getting bail in the Saradha chit fund scam case, former MP Srinjoy Bose was quizzed by the CBI Saturday in connection with the scandal.

Bose was at the Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters for around four hours.

The former editor of the Trinamool mouthpiece "Jago Bangla", got bail Feb 4 after spending 75 days in police and jail custody. The Alipore district and sessions judge's court has directed him not to go abroad without seeking court permission, not make any effort to influence the probe and and cooperate with the CBI in matters related to the probe.

Bose was arrested Nov 21 last year by the CBI for alleged criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of funds and deriving undue financial benefits in connection with the scam.

He was nabbed in a case related to Saradha Realty, the realty arm of the tainted group which is accused of having duped lakhs of poor people who parked their money in its ponzi schemes

He resigned from the Rajya Sabha as also the primary membership of the Trinamool Feb 5, saying "politics is not my cup of tea".

Bose was accused of "blackmail" by purported scam kingpin and Saradha Group promoter Sudipta Sen in a latter he is supposed to have written to the CBI in April 2013.

In the letter, Sen claimed he entered the media business after the Bengali daily "Sambad Pratidin" - owned by Bose's family - started attacking him.

Sen, now under arrest along with his top aides, said after he purchased a television channel, Bose, accompanied by journalist Kunal Ghosh came to him and he had to make arrangements for paying Rs.60 lakh per month to the newspaper for running the channel.

Sen had also claimed that the duo promised to ensure a "smooth passage" for him and protect his business from the state and central governments and assured him "they have very close connection" with the chief minister.

Sen in his letter also alleged that over two years, the paper had taken Rs.20 crore from him for running the channel.