Saradha: Didi gives Mukul Roy a dressing down

Mamata Banerjee is hopping mad and her closest aide's statements on the Saradha scam has not gone down too well with her. "Was there any need for you to issue those statements, your statements have only legitimized Kunal Ghosh's claims, Mamata Banerjee told Mukul Roy in a close door meeting.

Roy had in New Delhi told the media that he had in fact met with Sudipta Sen twice and his statements were on the lines of what Kunal Ghosh has been telling the CBI all along.

What was the need to go public?

After Mukul Roy arrived in Kolkata, he dashed off immediately for a meeting with Mamata Banerjee. In a closed door meeting that was held apparently to discuss the by-elections to North 24-Parganas' Bongaon Lok Sabha seat and Nadia's Krishnaganj Assembly seat.

In the meeting that lasted about half an hour, Mamata was livid with Roy. What was the need to speak out on the issue now? You better seek an extension and tell the CBI that you need more time to go up before them, the West Bengal CM also told Roy.

Kunal Ghosh's statement gets legitimacy:

What Roy has managed to do is give legitimacy to the statements that have been made by Kunal Ghosh to the CBI. Ghosh had told the CBI that Sen had met with senior leaders including Roy and Mamata at Dello in Kalimpong.

Roy too had told the media two days back that he had met with Sen twice and also spoke about the Dello meeting. However he also added that there was nothing to hide and there was nothing hanky panky about the meeting.

When Ghosh had made these statements to the CBI, the TMC had termed him as insane and even went up to the extent of denying everything. However all eyes have turned now considering the same claim has been confirmed by Roy before the media.

Roy wants more time:

Mukul Roy, who was summoned by the CBI for questioning, has sought more time to appear before the agency. He has addressed a letter through his advocate seeking an extension of 15 days, apparently at Mamata's behest.

I am a key functionary of the party and my presence is required for the by-polls and hence I am seeking 15 days time, the letter to the CBI also mentions.

In political circles of West Bengal this seeking of extension is being viewed with suspicion. Several persons feel that Roy and the TMC apprehends an arrest following the questioning. Such a development would prove counter productive for the TMC in the upcoming by-elections.

Does Roy want to clean party image?

Roy's stand on the Saradha scam has never gone down too well with the TMC leadership. His latest statements only add to credence to this fact that the TMC leadership is miffed with him.

Roy although an eternal loyalist of Mamata Banerjee has always tried to stay away from the scam after it broke out. He had even distanced himself from a deal between Saradha Tours and Travels and a railway subsidiary when Mamata was the railway minister.

He is apparently miffed with the happenings in West Bengal and feels that the image of the party ought to be cleaned up. He even offered to step down from all party posts, but the offer made by him was rejected.

OneIndia News