February 26, 2015
NIA probe finds no link between Saradha and Bardhaman blast
After five months of investigations and having arrested 17 people including a Bangladeshi national, NIA has reached a conclusion that there is no link between Saradha scam money and the Bardhaman blast. It has also not found any proof of transportation of bombs from India to Bangladesh for alleged destabilization of the Sheikh Hasina government as was suspected earlier. Detailed interrogation of the alleged financier of Bardhaman blasts, there has been no link between Saradha money and blasts could be established by the NIA. They also denied involvement of any AITC member in the blasts as alleged by BJP.
The chargesheet to be filed by the NIA next month, is likely to also remain silent on the alleged transport of bombs from West Bengal to Bangladesh for there is little evidence to make such claims.
In November, the BJP President had created a furore by claiming in a public meeting in West Bengal that Saradha scam money had funded Bardhaman blasts. Three days later, the West Bengal government denied the charge in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha question. AITC accused BJP of playing politics through false claims.
On 30 November, 2014 the BJP President had falsely claimed that Saradha chit fund’s money was used in this blast and CBI is investigating this matter.
Three days later, in reply to a Rajya Sabha question, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh replied, “So far investigation into Saradha chit fund scam does not show its money was routed to Bangladesh to fund terror activities.”
