AGARTALA, April 2 (TIWN): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is having some sleepless nights these days as the ghost of chitfund is haunting him like anything. Sarkar would have never imagined that the things would take such a nasty turn as the opposition is demanding hard for CBI enquiry into the multicrore rupees chit fund scam in the state and the involvement of CPI(M) party leaders including Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. The situation further worsened when a leading Kolkata based news channel ABP Ananda aired a discussion on the chit funds’ operations in the Tripura. ABP Ananda quoted State's leading online portal TRIPURAINFOWAY.com for links and pictures of Manik Sarkar and Ministers like Bijita Nath promoting Rose Valley and other Chit fund companies. Political thinktanks here are of the opinion that the much highlighted clean image of the Chief minister was damaged after the telecast of the particular programme in the news channel nationwide. Even the State Secretary of CPI(M) Bijan Dhar who was so far taking a staunch stand defending the party and the Chief minister against any allegation about the involvement of the party leaders said that the CM could have averted the inauguration programme of the Amusement Park owned by RoseValley Group at Amtali near Agartala in 2008. CM in his speech during the inaugural programme praised the activities of Rose Valley Group and also its owner Gautam Kundu.

The situation has aggravated more with the recent developments in the state capital over the last few days. On March 27,  the opposition leader in the Tripura Legislative Assembly Sudip Roy Barman termed Manik Sarkar as a “Brand Ambassador” of various chind fund companies that grew like mushrooms over the last few years . Mr. Barman had alleged that the Non Banking Financial Companies were given trade licenses by the state Government run under his leadership.

In the Press meet, the opposition leader further lleged that inspired by the “wide open arms” attitude of the Chief Minister, other ministers as well as the other party leaders of the CPI(M) state unit also started promoting these chit fund companies by being present in their different programmes and praising the companies in those programmes. Party leaders in different capacities started taking advantage of the situation created by the hobnobing of the top brass of the party with chit fund companies operating in the state.  On march 29, The leader of the opposition alongwith five more opposition MLAs met the state Governor PB Acharya and demanded  CBI probe into the activities of chitfund companies in the state.

The Chief Minister‘s tension was clearlly visible in his face while he was announcing the adoption of the central pay scale for the state Govt employees. Mr. Sarkar even tried to make personal attack on the opposition leader when he was asked to clarify his proximity with the chit fund companies.

Though the Chief minister tried to play down the spirit of the journo by saying that he was not aware of the fact that the Rose Valley Group was a chit fund company, Mr. Barman later questioned his innocence by putting reverse question that when the same party’s Governor in West Bengal demanded SEBI’s action against different chitfund companies including the Rose Valley Group How can Mr. Sarkar remain unaware about Rose Valley Group’s identity ?  

ABP Ananda News Channel's Rose Valley scam nationwide coverage with TRIPURAINFOWAY news quotes.TIWN Pic

Apart from Chit Fund ghosts, Manik Sarkar's close coterie people like scamster BDO Bimal Chakraborty ( jailed in Bisalgarh Jail for involvement in Multicrore MGNREGA scam) , Gyan Bichitra owner Debananda Dam (Book scam using RMSA funds) and many others involvement in organized corruptions in Govt  exposed the "clean" image behind the musk. Even State CPM leaders, senior Ministers like Badal Chowdhury, CPM Secretary Bijan Dhar are fed-up with Manik lobby for their involvement in multiple corruptions.

Tripura's senior CPM leaders even pointed out that Manik Sarkar's close circle (mostly psychophants) lacks even a single honest person and "Bimal kind of episodes" destroying Communist Party's image in State.

Once CBI retruns for 2nd round investigation and seizures in Tripura, it is expected that few Ministers, leaders will be arrested for their inolvement with Rose Valley and Sarada scam.

CBI raid on Rose Valley Agartala office.  Inset former Rose Valley agent MInister Bijita Nath. TIWN Pic

It may be mentioned here that the same Chief Minister who once was very enthusiastic in attending various programmes of the chit fund companies including Rose Valley, Sarada, Cosmic Group of Companies, Icore, Tower Group, Prayag Group is now running away from the shadow of chit fund ghost.