Is Bengal’s Trinamool Leader’s Son Linked to a ₹350 Crore Chit Fund Scam?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tahsin Ahmed arrested in a major ₹350 crore chit fund scam.
- He allegedly promised 14% monthly returns to investors.
- Over 3,000 individuals may have been affected by his actions.
- Gold worth ₹31 lakh was seized during his arrest.
- Calls for investigation by ED and SEBI have intensified.
Kolkata, Oct 26 (NationPress) A district court in the industrial town of Asansol has placed Tahsin Ahmed, the son of Shakil Ahmed, known as Master Shakil and co-president of the Trinamool Congress's minority faction in West Burdwan district, under police custody for ten days. His arrest occurred on Saturday due to alleged involvement in a massive ₹350 crore chit fund scam.
On Sunday afternoon, Tahsin was taken to court, where public prosecutors requested police custody, while his defense attorney filed a bail application on his behalf.
However, the judge denied the bail request and ordered his remand into police custody for ten days.
Tahsin was apprehended late Saturday on a bus bound for Jharkhand from an interstate service near the Chandrachud intersection on National Highway 19, as he attempted to flee. Authorities seized gold worth ₹31 lakh from him.
The primary accusation against him is that he amassed deposits totaling approximately ₹350 crore from around 3,000 individuals in Asansol through an unlicensed corporate venture operating in the area.
He had promised investors a return of 14 percent monthly, which equates to ₹2.8 lakh on a ₹1 lakh investment over 20 months. However, he went missing on October 15, the due date for returns to depositors.
Instead of fulfilling his commitments, he shared a video on social media expressing his inability to meet the promised payment deadline of October 20.
The issue first gained attention on Thursday, when Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, posted on social media, including Tahsin's video message.
In his post, Adhikari called for the immediate arrest of Tahsin Ahmed and urged for an investigation by central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). He also insisted on complete repayment of the deposits collected by the implicated entity to the investors.