‘Kundu gave Rs 71 lakh for son’s admission’

Kolkata: In a fresh twist in the investigation into the Rose Valley chit fund scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday questioned the principal of a reputed English medium school in south Kolkata at the CGO Complex office, Salt Lake.

According to CBI sources, Rose Valley group owner Gautam Kundu had paid a “donation” of Rs 71 lakh to the school soon after his son’s admission. TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay had allegedly written a letter of recommendation for Mr Kundu’s son.

The principal and three other top officials of the school were questioned for nearly three hours at the CBI’s Kolkata office .

“We had sought Mr Bandopadhyay’s letter from the school that recommended the admission of Gautam Kundu’s son in the school. The letter was sent as a Trinamul Congress MP on his letterhead. This shows that Mr Bandopadhyay had a very good rapport with Mr Kundu,” an officer said.

It is learnt that the principal was asked whether the amount deposited by Mr Kundu had anything to do with the admission fees of his son. “The principal and all other school officials reportedly told the CBI that the money was given as “donation” and had nothing to do with admission fees,” the officer added.

Meanwhile, Mr Bandopadhyay’s wife, Nayna Bandopadhyay, who is also an MLA of Chowringhee area, went to the CBI office in Bhubaneshwar to meet him. Talking to reporters, she alleged that her husband is arrested without any proof or documents. “Our party supremo, Mamata Banerjee, has been vocal against demonetisation, which is why the Centre is indulging in vendetta politics,” she said.