Press Trust of India, Kolkata, Jan 15: The ruling Trinamool Congress was put in a piquant situation Thursday with one of its ministers, Manjul Krishna Thakur quitting the party and joining the BJP. At the same time, the party general secretary and delaying his appearance before the CBI, that is probing the Saradha chit fund scam.
Roy flew back to New Delhi after consultations with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and others, and said he would remain in his party office in Delhi. Trinamool leadership here warned of massive public unrest and street protests if Roy is arrested by the CBI.
In a setback to the Trinamool Congress ahead of a crucial February 13 by-election, Manjul Krishna Thakur quit the party and accused it of functioning in a ‘whimsical’ way. Manjul Krishna, refugee relief and rehabilitation minister, joined the BJP along with his son Subrata Thakur. “I feel that TMC is no longer a party for honest and good politicians. The TMC government has not allowed me to work for the benefit of my Matua community,” Thakur told a media conference.
State BJP president Rahul Sinha, who was also present at the press conference, welcomed Manjul and his son into the BJP fold and said, “The joining of the first minister of TMC to BJP is the beginning of the fall of the TMC government in Bengal. Just wait and watch what happens in the next few days”.
CBI said interrogating Roy was critical for framing of chargesheets against the key accused who were now under arrest. “We do not want to delay the case inordinately since the probe is in an advanced stage. So we want to interrogate Roy at the earliest so that chargesheets can be framed against the key accused in Saradha Realty case on time,” a CBI source told PTI.
Roy was served summons on Monday to appear before the investigating agency by this week but had sought for a 15-day extension for appearance. He would be interrogated for his role in alleged criminal conspiracy for diversion of funds in the Saradha ponzi scam.
