Opposition parties slam lack of precautionary steps in jail

KOLKATA: Opposition parties in West Bengal today expressed surprise at the state government not having taken precautionary steps to guard Saradha scam accused Kunal Ghosh in jail despite his threat to commit suicide in the open court room.

“It is strange that preventive steps were not taken despite Kunal Ghosh having threatened to commit suicide in an open court room,” WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury told PTI here.

“It seems that the state government wants him to die,” Chowdhury alleged, claiming that Ghosh was proving an embarrassment for the ruling dispensation in the state through his statements in courts.

Chowdhury, a Lok Sabha MP and a former Union minister, also expressed surprise at why the CBI was not recording Ghosh’s statement.

“Why is the CBI not taking Kunal’s statement despite his repeated requests is a big question for me,” Chowdhury said.

Ghosh had made verbal pleas before the court that the CBI be asked to record his statement. The agency had earlier recorded his statements both during his CBI custody and also during his judicial custody.

CPI (M) MP Md Salim also accused the state government of not acting to ensure foolproof security despite Ghosh’s announcement in the court that he would commit suicide and also blamed the CBI for the incident.

“All concerned are to blame. He was in jail custody and the jail authorities, police and the state government have to take the responsibility for this,” Salim said.

“CBI also should have been careful, it should have sought his custody to ensure his safety,” Salim, a CPI (M) Central Committee member, said.

“How could sleeping pills reach him in jail should be investigated,” he said.

Alleging that the CBI was going slow in the investigation, Salim said, “The Supreme Court, which had ordered the investigation, should monitor it in order to speed up the process.”

Ghosh today allegedly tried to commit suicide by consuming sleeping pills in the Presidency Correctional Home where he has been lodged since his arrest last year.

Ghosh, who had threatened to end his life if the CBI failed to take action against those involved in the scam, has been admitted to a hospital. . On November 10 when he was produced before a city court, he had threatened to commit suicide if the CBI did not take proper action against “those involved” within three days.

“Investigation is being influenced. It is not acceptable that I will rot in jail while those involved will roam freely.

I am giving three days’ time, if action is not taken I will commit suicide,” the suspended Trinamool Congress MP had told Metropolitan Magistrate Arvind Mishra at Bankshall Court here.

Ghosh, a journalist by profession, is a former CEO of Saradha Group firm Bengal Media Ltd.–PTI