Saradha scam: Court rejects bail prayers of Manoranjana, Shantanu Ghosh

Kolkata: A city court on Thursday rejected the bail prayer of Manoranjana Sinh, the wife of ex-union minister Matang Sinh, and Shantanu Ghosh who were arrested for their alleged involvement in Saradha chit fund scam and remanded them to CBI custody till October 13.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Alipore court Saugata Roy Chowdhury rejected the bail pleas and remanded the two to CBI custody for five days.

Praying for Manoranjana Sinh's interim bail, her counsel Biplab Roy submitted that the former journalist was in no way involved in the scam.

He submitted that Sinh would comply with any condition put by the court.

Arrested businessman Shantanu Ghosh's counsel Niladri Bhattacharya submitted that Ghosh was not an influential person and CBI has no reason to arrest him for the second time after Enforcement Directorate had failed to submit a charge sheet and he was granted conditional bail.

He also claimed that Ghosh had cooperated with ED when he was earlier arrested by them.

Opposing the bail prayers, CBI counsel Parthasarathi Dutta submitted that the Saradha scam was a chain and both Sinh and Ghosh were part of it.

He argued that CBI needed to look into their alleged roles in the larger conspiracy and sought rejection of their bail plea.