CBI summons to Nalini Chidambaram in Saradha scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday issued summons to former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's wife, Nalini, Supreme court lawyer, in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam. Nalini, at present a Chennai-based lawyer, has been asked to be present at CBI Kolkata office on March 10. She along with estranged wife of former Union minister Matang Sinh, Manoranjana Sinh, Saradha group Chairman Sudipta Sen and businessman Santanu Ghosh was named in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the investigating agency in January this year. Interestingly, Chidambaram has been named neither as a witness nor accused, but as someone who knew about the controversial deal between Matang's company GNN India and Saradha group. Sudipta Sen had mentioned about hiring Nalini as a lawyer at the request of Manoranjana Sinh. Sen claimed that Rs 1 crore had been paid to Nalini as her legal fee by the Saradha group. Nalini represented Manoranjana and, therefore, was asked to offer her professional advice in her negotiations with Sen in connection with plans by the group to acquire a TV channel in the North-East.