Kolkata : Peeved by allegations that Saradha Group was favoured in getting a contract from IRCTC, a railway catering and tourism wing, the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday claimed that CBI, which is probing the chit fund scam, is being used as a political weapon by the Centre.
“Earlier CBI was known as the Congress Bureau of Investigation. CBI has not changed its character,” TMC all-India general secretary Mukul Roy said.
Roy is the second in command in TMC after party chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjeer. When asked about the allegation by the opposition parties that the Saradha Group-owned Saradha Tours and Travels had been unduly favoured by IRCTC, Roy, said “I am not aware of anything. The deal was made before I took charge. It must have been done through proper tendering process.”
“There are a lot of organisations such as the CAG or the Railway Audit to look into the matter.” said Roy, who had taken over as Railway Minister after party MP Dinesh Trivedi was removed by Mamata Banerjee.
The present minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha had said here that the Railways itself would not institute a separate probe into the alleged tie-up between IRCTC and Saradha Group-owned travel company as the CBI was investigating into the matter in its totality.
“There is no need for a separate investigation by the Railways. The CBI is investigating the Saradha Group issue. Law will take its own course irrespective of whosoever is found guilty,” Sinha had told reporters.
