Sudipto and Debjani produced in Siliguri court

SNS, Siliguri, 14 July 2013: The prime accused in the Saradha Group default case, Mr Sudipto Sen and Ms Debjani Mukherjee were produced in the Siliguri additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) court today. The acting ACJM, Mr Santosh Pathak, ordered them to be produced in court on 19 July. The Siliguri court had remanded them in police custody on 8 July. Earlier, the court had remanded them in 14-day jail custody on 5 July. However, an appeal had been made to the court to take the duo in police custody on 6 July. 

A resident of Siliguri, Ms Uma Pal Majumdar, had lodged a complaint with Siliguri police station against the Saradha Group in April for allegedly cheating her after she had deposited Rs 1 lakh with the group. The assistant public prosecutor Mr Sudip Roy Basunia said the court had remanded them in jail custody. 

“The court has asked the duo to be produced in the court on 19 July, “ Mr Roy Basunia said. According to sources, during the interrogation, Mr Sen said the group wanted to establish an educational hub in Siliguri. 

“Apart from the Linchons High School, Mr Sen was planning to set up a school in Ghoom. He has also planned to set up an educational hub surrounding the Linchons High School. The group has purchased a dairy firm in Banarhat in Dooars. Mr Sen told the group had set up a resort in Lataguri and he was planning to purchase another resort there. Police seized some documents from the Saradha Group regional office in Siliguri. Police had taken him there also. He also said his company also issued some fake certificates. 

The group was also trying to expand its base in Bihar also,” the sources said. The sources also said Ms Mukherjee said she was not responsible for the scam. 

“She said she had acted according to the instructions. Ms Mukerjee has been steady during the investigation. But Mr Sen broke down. Both had been interrogated separately. However, they had cooperated during the interrogation. During the investigation, some names have appeared which police are trying to verify,” the sources added.