Saradha Group Chairman Sudipto Sen was sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 by a Bidhannagar (West Bengal) court on Friday in a provident fund default case, making it Sen’s first conviction in a slew of cases involving a multi-crore collective investment scam.
Sen would get another six months’ imprisonment if the fine is not paid, the court said.
He was convicted under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) for default in depositing provident fund of employees, to which Sen confessed before the court, Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy.
The number of days he has already been behind bars since arrest in April last year will be deducted from his term. Hundreds of cases are pending against Sen, accused of duping lakhs of depositors in West Bengal and other states.