In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Tathagata Roy, Member, National Executive, BJP and Derek O Brien, Chief Whip & MP, Rajya Sabha, TMC -- discuss the issue of WB minister arrested over Saradha scam and TMC Chief Mamata dubbing it as political vendetta.
In an embarrassment to the ruling Trinamool Congress, West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra was on Dec 12, 2014 arrested by CBI in the multi-crore Saradha scam, prompting a livid Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to slam BJP calling it a "political vendetta" and a "dirty conspiracy". Banerjee also condemned the arrest as "illegal and unconstitutional" and said it is a "dangerous" step to destroy democratic institutions. The sharp attack by the TMC supremo, who also dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrest her, came even as the BJP demanded her resignation taking moral responsibility after the fresh CBI action in the scam. Mitra submitted his letter of resignation during the day but it was not accepted by the chief minister. Mitra was arrested in a case relating to Saradha Realty on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, misappropriation of funds as well as deriving undue financial benefits from the Saradha Group, a CBI spokesman here said. He was taken into custody after five hours of intense questioning at the Salt Lake CGO complex housing the CBI office. The CBI had earlier arrested two TMC Rajya Sabha MPs Srinjay Bose and Kunal Ghosh in connection with the Saradha scam. The CBI today also arrested Naresh Balodia, legal advisor to Sudipto Sen and Saradha Group on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and diversion of funds in the same case, he said. Shortly after Mitra's arrest, Banerjee unleashed a sharp attack against the Centre, dubbing it as "political vendetta" and "dirty conspiracy" by the BJP. "What has happened is illegal and unconstitutional. It is a dangerous step to destroy democratic institutions. My government condemns the arrest of Madan Mitra
