First of many: Sudipta Sen gets 3 yrs in jail in PF case

Bidhan Nagar sub-divisional magistrate Swati Mukherjee also slapped of fine of Rs 10,000 on Sen and ordered that he would have to undergo another six months’ imprisonment if the fine was not paid.

The case pertained to a suo-motu complaint lodged by the Electronics Complex  police station of the Bidhan Nagar Police Commissionerate against Sudipta  Sen in December last year alleging that he had not paid the PF to the employees of TV channels run by his group. The complaint also named three others — Saradha executive director Debjani Mukherjee, another company official Somnath Dutta and Trinamool Congress’ MP Kunal Ghosh.

Sen, who was present in the court, admitted that he was responsible for the non-payment of PF to the employees of the TV channels. He told the court that the TV arm of the Saradha Group was run by Ghosh and Dutta. Debjani used to prepare the cheques (pertaining to the expenses) which he, in his capacity as managing director, used to sign, he said.

Sen, however, did not blame any of the other three accused for the non-payment of PF. He told the court that he has already requested the Justice Shyamal Sen commission to sell the TV channels of his now bust group to return the money to the depositors and employees of the company.

The Magistrate convicted Sen under section 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and other sections of the IPC and sentenced him to three years in prison.
He was also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for ‘conspiracy’ under section 120B of IPC in connection with the PF default.

Both the terms would continue concurrently and the number of days he has already undergone imprisonment since his arrest in April, 2013 would be deducted from his imprisonment term.

A total of 349 FIRs were lodged in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam across the Bengal. Sen has been named accused in about 160 FIRs.