Kolkata:Debjani Mukherjee, the 27-yearold Saradha Group executive director and group chairman Sudipta Sen’s confidante, was arrested with Sen and Arvind Chauhan, a senior official of the company, from an upmarket hotel in Srinagar on Tuesday. The de-facto Saradha Group number-two, Debjani was Sen’s shadow.
Debjani’s meteoric rise in the company — from a receptionist to the executive director in only three years — is as mysterious as most other things about the organization. Having joined the company as a receptionist-cum-telephone operator in 2008, Debjani moved to the company’s headquarters in seven months, where she found a seat in chairman Sudipta Sen’s chamber.
In a short time, she won Sen’s trust and, in 2011, became a director with Saradha Realty India Ltd. The other directors were Sen’s wife Madhumita, his son Subhojit and daughter Priyanka.
Debjani looked after the group’s banking and HR verticals and was the only person, besides Sen, who had the authority to sign company cheques — which sometimes bore amounts of over Rs 20 lakh. Sources claimed that she also signed several appointment letters.
The cellphone she used till her arrest on Tuesday remained registered in the name of Saradha Tours & Travels. A cell number which Sudipta often used was also registered in Debjani’s name. It was the “official” number provided to Debjani as director in Saradha Realty India (Ltd) and registered at the company’s Sector-V address.
Debjani, sources said, stopped attending office in March — several weeks before Sudipta followed suit. It gives credence to the belief among Saradha employees that Debjani was chalking out a plot for the couple to disappear. Debjani’s father, Timir Baran Mukherjee, was Sen’s close family friend, as was Debjani’s mother Sikha. Many believe that Mukherjee’s close proximity to local CPM leaders helped Sudipta in his rise.
Debjani’s lawyer, Abhisekh Mukherjee, said, “Debjani was asked not to attend office and has not been getting salary for several months. She was coerced into fleeing. In fact, she was thinking of surrendering when she was arrested.”
A former editor in one of a Sen’s publications recollected, “Sen sat next to Debjani in his own chamber. Sen and she appeared to be co-owners. At meetings, they sat on one side and faced us across the table. She was an executive director and was Sen’s eyes and ears. Debjani was also his constant companion on trips to other towns and cities.”
Another employee recounted that visitors to Sen were always vetted by Debjani. However urgent the matter was, it was difficult for anyone to get a call though to Sen without it being routed through Debjani.
Courtesy:
Saibal Sen TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/04/25&PageLabel=13&EntityId=Ar01303&ViewMode=HTML
Debjani’s meteoric rise in the company — from a receptionist to the executive director in only three years — is as mysterious as most other things about the organization. Having joined the company as a receptionist-cum-telephone operator in 2008, Debjani moved to the company’s headquarters in seven months, where she found a seat in chairman Sudipta Sen’s chamber.
In a short time, she won Sen’s trust and, in 2011, became a director with Saradha Realty India Ltd. The other directors were Sen’s wife Madhumita, his son Subhojit and daughter Priyanka.
Debjani looked after the group’s banking and HR verticals and was the only person, besides Sen, who had the authority to sign company cheques — which sometimes bore amounts of over Rs 20 lakh. Sources claimed that she also signed several appointment letters.
The cellphone she used till her arrest on Tuesday remained registered in the name of Saradha Tours & Travels. A cell number which Sudipta often used was also registered in Debjani’s name. It was the “official” number provided to Debjani as director in Saradha Realty India (Ltd) and registered at the company’s Sector-V address.
Debjani, sources said, stopped attending office in March — several weeks before Sudipta followed suit. It gives credence to the belief among Saradha employees that Debjani was chalking out a plot for the couple to disappear. Debjani’s father, Timir Baran Mukherjee, was Sen’s close family friend, as was Debjani’s mother Sikha. Many believe that Mukherjee’s close proximity to local CPM leaders helped Sudipta in his rise.
Debjani’s lawyer, Abhisekh Mukherjee, said, “Debjani was asked not to attend office and has not been getting salary for several months. She was coerced into fleeing. In fact, she was thinking of surrendering when she was arrested.”
A former editor in one of a Sen’s publications recollected, “Sen sat next to Debjani in his own chamber. Sen and she appeared to be co-owners. At meetings, they sat on one side and faced us across the table. She was an executive director and was Sen’s eyes and ears. Debjani was also his constant companion on trips to other towns and cities.”
Another employee recounted that visitors to Sen were always vetted by Debjani. However urgent the matter was, it was difficult for anyone to get a call though to Sen without it being routed through Debjani.
Courtesy:
Saibal Sen TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/04/25&PageLabel=13&EntityId=Ar01303&ViewMode=HTML
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