ED questions Subhaprasanna, businessman Harsh Neotia

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday questioned noted painter Subhaprasanna regarding his dealings with the Saradha Group company. The agency had earlier asked him to submit papers and documents related to a deal in which he was said to have sold a company owned by him and a consortium of several others to Saradha CMD Sudipta Sen.

The agency, officials said, is currently looking into the land that Subhaprasanna bought in Rajarhat New Town to set up an art enterprise. The ED also questioned Harsh Neotia, a Kolkata-based businessman and an arts connoisseur, who reportedly had links with Subhaprasanna in this art venture.

Significantly, the agency also examined officials of West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HIDCO) — promoter of the Rajarhat New Town project — regarding the plot of land that was sold to Subhaprasanna.

While examining the documents that Subhaprasanna submitted before the agency, officials, it is learnt, noted certain discrepancy in the shareholding pattern his company adopted. Coming out of the ED office, Subhaprasanna told reporters that he had “only received Rs 50 lakh from Saradha” and that “there was no bogus shareholder” in his firm later sold to Sen.