The large-scale chit fund scam in West Bengal involving the Saradha Group involves around a total sum of Rs 2,460 crore with 80 per cent of the depositors' monies still remaining unpaid, as per a joint investigation report of the ED and the West Bengal police.
The report stated that Sen was in “total control” of all deposits made by his group companies which are under the scanner for having perpetrated the alleged fraud. Four companies of the Saradha Group, the report said, used to mobilise money through three schemes - ‘fixed deposit', ‘recurring deposit' and ‘monthly income deposit' - which lured innocent depositors with promises of either “landed property or a foreign tour” as incentive returns.
The report stated that “the summary report (of the group) for the years 2008-12 revealed that the four companies of Saradha Group had mobilised an amount of Rs 2,459.59 crore through issuance of their policies.”
“The investors were paid an amount of Rs 476.57 crore. As of April 16, 2013, the principal amount to be paid to the investors stood at Rs 1,983.02 crore,” the report added. Sleuths found that the four Saradha Group companies, namely, Saradha Realty India Ltd, Saradha Tours and Travels Pvt Ltd, Saradha Housing Pvt Ltd and Saradha Garden Resort and Hotels Pvt Ltd were in the business of mobilising money from gullible investors.
“Investors were also given the option of encashing their investment after the specified period along with very high returns,” the report said.
Describing the working of the scam, which broke early last year, the report stated that the “investigation so far carried out revealed that Sen had floated various companies, through numerous branch offices in West Bengal as also in Odisha, Assam, Jharkhand and other states to mobilise deposits from the public”.
