KOLKATA: Yesteryear Bollywood star and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Mithun Chakraborty has claimed that he was duped by the Saradha Group while denying that he had been its brand ambassador, according to ED officials, who quizzed him over his alleged involvement with the firm.
An ED official said on Friday that the actor admitted to having received Rs 1.75 crore but complained of being cheated by Saradha chief Sudpito Sen to the tune of Rs 24 lakh. Mithun, who had returned from a shooting stint abroad, also revealed that he had a contract with a television channel run by Saradha. However, the adviser’s job had been largely symbolic.
Further, the actor said he had anchored a programme for the Bengali channel for which he was to be paid aRs 2 crore annual fee. But after news of the scam became public he did not care to lodge a cheating case against Sudipto, who is still in jail following his arrest last year.
“He cooperated with us and showed his bank statements and other records. We are satisfied with his replies to our specific questions and that he was in no way involved in helping Saradha to mobilise funds using his name or photographs,” the official said.