The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered five more cases to probe chit-fund scams in West Bengal, through which a large number of small-time investors were cheated on the pretext of phenomenal returns.
The cases have been registered by the CBI in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive in May 2014.
In one of the cases, five persons linked to Golden Point Merchant Vice Limited have been accused of cheating people of more than ₹15 crore. The State Police had earlier registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the matter on April 2013, following complaints from 84 victims. Among the complainants were also the agents through whom funds were collected.
A West Bengal police constable and his wife, who worked as an agent, have been accused of their involvement in another case. The victims were promised that they would get double the investment in 10 months.
The complainant in the case alleged that she had deposited money to Unipay2U Marketing and Visarev Marketing Private Limited through the constable. However, she only received part payment and never got back the rest of the amount.
The Enforcement Directorate is already conducting a money laundering probe into the ₹600-crore Unipay2U scam, in which people were cheated through Ponzi schemes.
The CBI has registered yet another case, by clubbing three FIRs earlier lodged by the State Police, against nine accused persons linked to the Jeebandeep group of companies. Two other cases are against nine persons allegedly associated with Unnayan Samity and Kohinoor Trust.
Earlier this month, the CBI had taken up seven chit-fund scam cases in West Bengal. Over 1,000 such cases are being pursued by the agency, which also include those related to the Saradha chit-fund scam.
