Ponzi scam culprits will be punished by BJP: Amit Shah

Kolkata, April 22 (IANS) Accusing the West Bengal police and administration of destroying all evidences related to the Ponzi scam, BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said the culprits would be punished for their misdeeds once the Mamata Banerjee government bows out of office.

"The chit fund scam happened in Bengal. The local administration and police have destroyed all evidence and proof. Mamata didi does not want any probe into the chit fund scam, but we want a probe. This is our fight. We don't have any problem with any person," Shah told mediapersons here.

He said the BJP is committed to punishing all culprits in the multi-billion rupee scam.

"After the Mamata Banerjee government goes, all culprits in the chit fund scam will get punished for their misdeeds. We are committed towards that," he said.

To another query about a number of those quizzed in the ponzi scam cases now crossing over to the BJP, he said: "They have been taken in the party after checking the reports. Let the investigation be done first then the wheat will be separated from the chaff".

The ponzi scam came to light in April 2013, when the Saradha Group - owned by Sudipta Sen - downed shutters across Bengal after being unable to pay back its depositors.

The group had raised huge sums of money, mainly from poor people who, lured by the promise of big returns, parked their life savings with the firm.

Sen and several of his cronies are now behind bars.

Later, a number of similar scams allegedly committed by groups like Rose Valley, MPS and Chakra came to light.

Following an order by the Supreme Court in 2014, the CBI has been probing the ponzi scam cases.