No Saradha money in Bangladesh

There is no evidence that money collected by Saradha group was deposited in any of the banks in Bangladesh to fund banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday.

Muhith told this to reporters in Kolkata on the sidelines of a programme of Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

His statement came after India's Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh on December 3 had told the Lok Sabha that a probe had so far not revealed that Saradha money was used for financing terror in Bangladesh, contradicting BJP Chief Amit Shah's allegation of such a connection.

Addressing a rally in Kolkata on November 30, Shah had alleged that Saradha money was used in the October 2 Burdwan blast, which was being probed for links with the JMB.

Trinamool Congress had hit back strongly at Shah for his comments.

India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate were probing the trail of money raised by ponzi schemes. The NIA was also probing the Burdwan blast.