Mamata Banerjee under CBI Scanner!

Palash Biswas

Mamata Banerjee

20 hours ago

Please see what the Hon'ble Supreme Court has said – "CBI has become caged parrot speaking in master's voice".

What do you think ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 


Opinion please.

Calcutta High Court has postponed the hearing of  four PIL cases demanding CBI investigation into Chi fund mess until 14th May. But Mamata didi may not be relieved as Assam and Tripura governments have initiated CBI investigation process and the governments of Jharkhand, Bihar and Orrissa follow suit.It would not be any surprise if Maharashtra also falls in line. Meanwhile West Bengal government is opposing CBI investigation vehemently and Didid has threatene a coup in the center declaring that there would not be any third UPA Government. She is not impressed by Karnataka mandate. Rather she has began a face book campaign against CBI afresh. But ironically, she is trapped under CBI scaner.

However,West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today sought the opinion of her Facebook fans on the Supreme Court's observation that the CBI has become 'a caged parrot speaking in master's voice'.

Without commenting on the apex court's stinging criticism of the national investigation agency in connection with the coalgate probe report, Banerjee said in a Facebook post "Please see what the Hon'ble Supreme Court has said – 'CBI has become caged parrot speaking in master's voice'.

"What do you think? Opinion please," Banerjee added.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is widening the ambit of its probe into the railway bribery scandal, with the agency scrutinising some of the top-level appointments in the railways over the last four years.

In a move that could lead to a face-off between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, the CBI has seized documents related to some appointments that took place during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders as railway minister.

Sources say the phone intercepts involving suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Vijay Singla, his associates Sandeep Goyal and Ajay Garg have references to a few old appointments.

All four, along with five others, have already been arrested.

CBI chief Ranjit Sinha headed the Railway Protection Force during Mamata's tenure as railway minister, and was moved out on her insistence. 

The CBI wants to understand the pattern of appointments made in the board over the last few years.

This is necessary, sources say, to understand the role of the railway minister in the appointments.

 

The CBI is also trying to ascertain the protocol of handing the additional charge to board members. 

This is significant because Kumar, who was initially being appointed member (staff), was not interested in the post. 

He was allegedly eyeing the position of member (electrical) that would get vacant in June.

It is alleged that he had agreed to pay Rs 10 crore for the post.

An initial payment of Rs 90 lakh was allegedly made when the agency busted the plot. 

"It's significant to understand how some appointments took place in the past. We have gathered documents related to some of the appointments. If the need be, some senior officials can also be questioned," a CBI officer said.

The CBI could also book other railway officials and relatives of Kumar for destroying evidence. 

The CBI is also looking into the role of RPF's inspector general for Western Railway, Mahim Swamy.

In the aftermath of the Saradha Group meltdown, chief minister Mamata Banerjeeis mulling a social security scheme for the common man to park their savings safely.

Mamata wants it to be an alternative to the dubious deposit schemes that lure people with high returns and then leave them high and dry. Such a scheme will give people decent returns at a time when the money market has become insecure. "A government for the people has some commitment towards them," the CM said on Wednesday. Her government has already passed a bill against Ponzi firms that is awaiting the President's assent.

The government won't float the savings scheme on its own. The CM has asked the finance department to float the proposal on its website for a month and invite opinions from the public.

"Anyone can send their opinion to improve the idea. In fact, there many people who have a rich experience in such schemes. We welcome those suggestions. It is meant to guarantee security to the people in the wake of the financial insecurity," Mamata said. The government will examine the suggestions before giving a final shape to the scheme. "We have to pass a bill in the assembly to launch it," the CM said.

What worries her is the rising insecurity among large sections of people affected by Ponzi schemes and the low participation in genuine financial investment. A recent study by RBI rates Bengal quite low on the parameter of formal financial inclusion (FFI). Districts like South 24-Parganas and Murshidabad are way below the national average.

The CM didn't refer to the RBI report. She talked about the decline in savings in post offices because of their low interest rates. Mamata didn't assurance high returns in the proposed government schemes.

"I won't assure high returns as some firms had done. I think people would like to have their funds safe in government hands even if we can't give them high returns. We will decide on it according to our capacity. The government can provide rice, but we can't give you biryani every day," the CM said.