Kolkata: In a breather for the Mamata Banerjee government, the division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday said that it is not mandatory to deploy central paramilitary forces for the upcoming Panchayat polls. The West Bengal government had appealed the higher bench after a single bench upheld the State Election Commission's plea for three-phase polling and deployment of central forces. The State government wanted two-phase polling and security...
01:11 PM, May 14, 2013
Kolkata: A West Bengal government owned film centre in Kolkata has reportedly refused to screen a movie on the chit fund scam. State-owned Nandan film centre says it will not screen the movie 'Kagojer Nouka' (which means Paper boat). The movie's director has alleged that the cinema hall authorities have not previewed the film despite submitting documents well in advance. The film has also not found any takers among multi-plexes...
12:12 PM, May 14, 2013
Kolkata: As the Calcutta High Court begins hearing pleas seeking a CBI probe into the Sharada group chit fund scam on Tuesday, CNN-IBN has found that it is unemployment and stunted industrial and agricultural growth in the state that is forcing people to invest in ponzi schemes. Seventy-year-old Sunil Sarkar recounts how he found his son Jayanta Sarkar's body at the terrace hanging by a rope. Jayanta, who was allegedly...
09:11 AM, May 14, 2013
Kolkata: Hearing will continue on Tuesday in the Calcutta High Court on the standoff between West Bengal government and the state Election Commission (EC) over panchayat elections. On Monday, the WB government filed a fresh appeal to a higher bench against the old judgement of the Single bench in favour of the EC. The court directed the state poll panel to make a proper assessment over need for security for...
08:08 AM, May 14, 2013
Kolkata: Delivering a double blow to West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government, the Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered CBI probe into a Trinamool Congress worker's death allegedly in police custody and refused to suspend its earlier verdict upholding the primacy of the State Election Commission. A division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice JM Bagchi took the twin decisions hearing separate cases within a gap of hours in...
04:42 AM, May 14, 2013
New Delhi: CBI is likely to register a preliminary inquiry into the appointment of senior officers in the Railway Protection Force as it suspects large scale corruption in these postings. Sources said files related to appointments of senior officers in Railway Protection Force have been sought by CBI in this connection. Under the CBI scanner is the posting of a Director General Of RPF who had reportedly superseded 25 officers...
08:40 PM, May 13, 2013
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has deferred till Tuesday the hearing related to the tussle between West Bengal and the state election commission over the number of phases in the Panchayat election. West Bengal government on Monday filed a fresh appeal to a higher bench against an old judgement that upheld the supremacy of state election commission while conducting Panchayat polls. The crucial rural polls are slated in June this...
06:50 PM, May 13, 2013
New Delhi: The CBI probe on the railway recruitment scam, that toppled Pawan Bansal as the Railways Minister, has widened to reach the doorstep of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Sources say that the CBI will now probe the role of former Railway Board Chairman Vivek Sahai. Sources said that the CBI is investigating why Sahai held additional charge as Member, Traffic, and why another eligible candidate was denied...
04:50 PM, May 13, 2013
Kolkata: West Bengal government will on Monday file a fresh appeal to a higher bench against an old judgement that upheld the supremacy of state election commission while conducting Panchayat polls. The crucial rural polls are slated in June this year. In a setback to the state government, the Calcutta High Court had Friday directed that these elections would be held in three phases using central armed forces on dates...
09:34 AM, May 13, 2013
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will embark on a three-day visit to Darjeeling Hills beginning May 14, 2013 during which she will meet the GJM leaders as well as hold talks with the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA). "The chief minister will leave for Darjeeling May 14. She will have a meeting with the GTA officials and attend several government functions to announce development schemes for the region. She...
05:21 AM, May 13, 2013
Kolkata: Sudipta Sen's alleged aide Debjani Mukherjee, who was arrested in connection with the West Bengal chit fund scam, distanced herself from the Saradha Group chairman through a letter that was made public by her lawyers. Debjani in her letter, alleged that Sudipta masterminded the racket while she was merely a salaried employee who was manipulated. She also blamed the media for misrepresenting her relationship with Sudipta. Mamata government has...
05:22 PM, May 11, 2013
Burdwan: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday slammed the Opposition for conspiring to prevent her government from holding panchayat polls on time and vowed that elections will be held at the appropriate time. "Panchayat polls will be held at the appropriate time. Work for panchayats and 100 days' will not be hampered", she said at a party rally here without elaborating. "We have been trying to hold panchayat...
01:59 AM, May 11, 2013
Kolkata: The West Bengal government would appeal against the Calcutta High Court order upholding the primacy of the State Election Commission and asking it to provide names of 400 observers for the panchayat polls by Saturday, Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee said. "We will appeal against the order before a division bench as early as possible because it is unrealistic and will undermine the federal structure and the state's minimum powers,"...
07:55 PM, May 10, 2013
Kolkata: In a big blow to the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered three-phase Panchayat elections in the state. The order establishes the supremacy of the state Election Commission that had opposed the Trinamool Congress government's demand to conduct two-phase elections. The court also directed the government to furnish list of observors as asked by the SEC by Saturday. The government was also...
04:35 PM, May 10, 2013
New Delhi: The Left parties on Thursday sought a court-monitored CBI probe into the West Bengal chit fund scam and accused the Trinamool Congress-led government of not intervening to check activities of companies with suspicious financial dealings in the state. Senior leaders of Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Bloc met President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh separately and...
03:25 AM, May 10, 2013
Kolkata: The Congress on Thursday ridiculed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for "campaigning against the CBI", claiming that she was doing so to prevent the truth from coming out in the Saradha Group chit fund scam. "A chief minister should not campaign against a central investigating agency. It is ridiculous for her to do so," state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said referring to a Mamata post on a social...
02:46 AM, May 10, 2013
The Congress on Thursday dithered on taking action against its two beleaguered ministers Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Kumar Bansal. ...
10:02 PM, May 09, 2013
Kolkata: Accusing the Left of failing to protect investors in ponzi schemes during its prolonged rule in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress on Thursday hit back after Left leaders met the Prime Minister and Finance Minister seeking a CBI probe into the chit fund scam. "Who are asking for a CBI probe today? It is those who were unable to pass an effective bill to rein in chit fund companies...
06:47 PM, May 09, 2013
New Delhi: The investigations into the Railway bribery scandal has widened with sources saying that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will also look at postings during former railway minister Mamata Banerjee's tenure. The appointment of Railway Protection Force Director General PK Mehta, who superseded 28 IPS officers, is likely to be investigated as the Railways ignored the Ministry of Home Affairs seniority list. Mehta was appointed as RPF DG...
06:15 PM, May 09, 2013
Kolkata: West Bengal is planning to start a social security scheme for depositors and investors to ensure proper return of public money following the Saradha chit fund mess, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata on Wednesday. "In the wake of growing financial insecurity, we are thinking of a social security scheme. It will ensure proper safety of public money and ensure safe and proper return. We will shortly put...
05:20 AM, May 09, 2013
