Was a TMC Leader’s Son Arrested in Bengal’s Rs 350 Crore Chit Fund Scam?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tahsin Ahmed arrested in a Rs 350 crore chit fund scam.
- Authorities seized Rs 31 lakh in gold from his possession.
- Approx. 3,000 depositors affected by the scam.
- Investors were promised 14% monthly returns.
- Trinamool Congress distancing itself from the accused.
Kolkata, Oct 25 (NationPress) Tahsin Ahmed, the son of Shakil Ahmed, also known as Master Shakil, who served as co-president of the Trinamool Congress’s minority wing in West Burdwan district, was apprehended by state authorities on Saturday evening after evading capture for several days following his alleged role in a massive Rs 350 crore chit fund scam.
According to police reports, he was detained while attempting to flee on a bus bound for Jharkhand, near the Chandrachud intersection on National Highway 19. Authorities also confiscated gold worth Rs 31 lakh during his arrest.
The central accusation against Tahsin Ahmed is that he solicited deposits totaling approximately Rs 350 crore from around 3,000 individuals in Asansol through an unregulated corporate entity based in the industrial township of Asansol.
He had promised investors a return of 14 percent monthly, equating to Rs 2.8 lakh on an investment of Rs 1 lakh over a period of 20 months. However, on October 15, the day returns were due to be paid, he vanished without a trace.
Instead of fulfilling his obligations, he shared a video on his social media channel where he expressed his inability to meet the promised payment deadline of October 20.
This issue gained traction on Thursday when Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, highlighted it through a social media update, which included Tahsin Ahmed's video message.
In his post, the LoP called for the swift detention of Tahsin Ahmed and urged a thorough investigation by central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). He also demanded that all deposits made to the implicated entity be reimbursed to the investors.
Additionally, Amit Malviya, the BJP’s IT cell chief and the party's central observer for West Bengal, echoed these concerns on social media, alleging that a significant number of the affected depositors belonged to the Muslim community.
The leadership of Trinamool Congress has begun to distance itself from both Tahsin Ahmed and his father, with Mehfuzul Hasan, president of the minority wing in West Burdwan, stating that neither Tahsin Ahmed nor Shakil Ahmed is currently associated with the party.
“Shakil Ahmed was previously a co-president of our minority cell, but he has no affiliation with the party now,” Hasan remarked.