BJP leader Lakshman Seth (PTI/File)
THE CID has summoned BJP leader Lakshman Seth for questioning on August 8 in connection with a case of fraud. “A notice was issued to him yesterday (Thursday). He has been asked to appear on Tuesday at 11 am. He will be interrogated in a case registered in Bhawanipore police station,” ADG (CID) Dr Rajesh Kumar said.
Seth has been booked under sections 420 (fraud), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. It has been alleged that his non-profit organisation Indian Centre for Advancement of Research and Education (ICARE) — which runs and maintains educational institutions — has bungled crores. Seth is the chairman of ICARE.
“Sixteen colleges run by ICARE offer courses like MCA, engineering and medical among others. Allegedly, there have been several informal complaints against it,” said a source in the police.
When contacted, Seth said: “The matter is sub-judice and I will not like to comment.” Once an influential leader in CPM, Lakshman Seth, former MP and a key accused in the Nandigram violence of 2007, had joined the BJP last year.
A former MP from 1996-2009 from East Midnapore, Seth was expelled from the CPM for “anti-party activities” in 2014.
