Kolkata, Nov 14(IBN LIVE): Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and prime accused in the Saradha chit fund scam Kunal Ghosh attempted suicide on Friday by an overdose of sleeping pills in Kolkata's Presidency jail.
Ghosh in a suicide note has claimed that he consumed 51 sleeping pills. He has been admitted to the SSKM hospital in the city. However, it is yet to be ascertained as to how the ex-TMC member procured such a high quantity of sleeping pills in the jail.
"We are inquiring into it. Kunal Ghosh is fine. He has been admitted to SSKM hospital. He was not unconscious and we are not sure whether he actually consumed poison or he is acting," Additional IG Correctional Services West Bengal KK Mukherjee said.
Ghosh had threatened to commit suicide in an open court claiming that the multi-crore scam was being influenced by people. He is named as a prime accused in the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal.
The suspended TMC leader alleged the CBI was shielding the real culprits and if this goes on then he no longer has desire to live and will commit suicide in the open court.
The CBI in October 2014 filed its first chargesheet in the Saradha Chit fund scam at the city sessions court in Kolkata and named Saradha group chairman Sudipta Sen, his close associate Debjani Mukherjee and suspended TMC MP Kunal Ghosh.
Political parties are claiming that there is more to the case than what meets the eye. "Committing suicide is a crime also. He has failed in his attempts. Now he should be chained. He is a prime witness. He must tell us who the real people are. There is a provision for plea bargain. He must apply for that so that we can give hima a lesser punishment," former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy said.
While refusing to comment on Ghosh's suicide attempt, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "We condemn the attempt to selectively distort and suppress big leaders in West Bengal. That is the real public interest story."
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