Kolkata : West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress Friday threatened to hit the streets after the CBI arrested the party’s Rajya Sabha member Srinjoy Bose in connection with the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam.
Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee described the arrest of Bose – the editor of party mouthpiece Jago Bangla – as the “misuse” of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the central government in its bid to take “political vengeance” on his party.
“We will rally the people to hit the streets in protest,” Chatterjee said.
He also announced that the party would spell out its political strategy on the issue Saturday during a meeting at the Netaji Indoor stadium.
Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee is slated to address the meeting.
Bose was arrested by the CBI for his prima facie involvement in the Saradha scam on allegations of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of funds and deriving undue financial benefits.
Earlier, the CBI had taken into custody another Trinamool leader and former police officer Rajat Majumdar for his alleged complicity in the scandal.
Another Trinamool Rajya Sabha member, Kunal Ghosh, who headed Saradha’s media arm, was arrested by police before the Supreme Court directed the CBI to take up the probe.
Bose’s arrest came on a day when CBI sleuths grilled Textile Minister Shyamapada Mukherjee and Congress leader Somen Mitra.
Transport Minister Madan Mitra was also summoned by the CBI but he skipped the questioning, citing ill health. He is undergoing treatment at the state-run SSKM Hospital.