TMC leader skips CBI appearance

Trinamul Congress leader Shankudeb Panda skipped his appearance before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to face questionning in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam on Friday. He was expected to turn up before them at the CGO Complex in Salt Lake by 11 am.

After waiting for few hours, the CBI called him on his cellphone thrice in the afternoon but did not get any answer, according to sources. The CBI is now planning to send summons to Mr Panda. Sources claimed he had taken nearly Rs 20 lakhs from Saradha Group over three years. On Wednesday morning, a CBI officer called him up on his cellphone which went on ringing. In the afternoon Mr Panda called up the CBI office only to learn that he would have to appear before the CBI officers to answer some questions relating to the scam, sources revealed. Sensing his unwillingness, the CBI officer called him again on Thursday, sources added.

Earlier, another central agency, Enforcement Directorate, had summoned him for questionning but he avoided it.