July 12, 2013
Top CPI(M) leaders involved in huge SCAM. Stashing away crores in personal accounts
Rs. 16 crore in a current bank account is nothing unusual. But read beyond the first line of the news article that appeared in a leading daily today and it suddenly looks very unusual.
This State Bank of India (SBI) current account was active until April 23 this year. The joint holders of this account are Biman Bose and Nirupam Sen. Official address for this account: 31, Alimuddin Street. Average amount deposited in this account each day has been quoted at around Rs. 15 lakh.
CPI(M) claims that the account belongs to the State Committee of the party.
It is but natural to ask questions as to how two individuals could hold a joint account that belongs to a political party. How exactly was the accounting done? Since the account is in the name of Biman Bose and Nirupam Sen, was income tax paid by them? Also, interesting to note, is the fact that Biman Bose does not have a PAN card. It is really intriguing that an account holder with Rs. 16 crore as balance does not possess one!
Of course, sensing something is not adding up, CPI(M) has taken the initiative to quickly shut down this account and open a new one in the name of the party. Though not a bank requirement, Nirupam Sen`s PAN number has been provided for this new account too. This has certainly kept the intrigue alive.
The CPI(M) sees no wrong in this `blatant` incident as it has been the practice since the 80s. This joint account was first held by Biman Bose and Sailen Dasgupta. Later, in 2001, after the passing away of Sailen Dasgupta, Nirupam Sen`s name was introduced.
Even more interesting, all cheques drawn in favour of the State Secretary of CPI(M) got automatically deposited into this joint account! How exactly this clandestine process worked needs to be investigated thoroughly.
Appeals have been made to the Chairman of the State Bank of India and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India to look into the matter.
`Historical blunder` is a favourite phrase of the CPI(M) but this historical error may cost them dear. All the explanations given by the party are sounding hollow. If this is just a glimpse of how things were when Bengal was under their regime, one has to shudder to think what else could be unearthed.
The Alimuddin Street leadership has a lot to answer to the people of Bengal. Just saying that they had overlooked this glaring irregularity is as good as saying that they think the people of Bengal can be hoodwinked into believing any explanation they dish out.
There are some serious questions for the CPI(M) to answer:
1. The media expose has spoken of two bank accounts. There may be a hundred more, in India and abroad, concealing the slush funds of CPI(M) leaders. Shouldn`t a serious investigation be called for?
2. How can party whole-timers, with no known sources of income, amass Rs 16 crore? Is there an explanation?
3. The former industry minister of West Bengal, as per his election affidavit, is worth only Rs 36 lakh. The SBI account shows him to possess at least Rs 8 crore (half the balance in the account). Is this not a breach of Election Commission rules and does this not amount to resorting to untruth?
4. The general secretary of the state CPI(M) says he has no PAN card but is still a co-holder of an account with Rs 16 crore in it? Does he expect us to believe he is naive? Or does he expect us to be naive?
We demand a special investigation from SBI, RBI and the Union Finance Ministry and we demand the CPI(M) come clean on this.
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