The Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on March 15 in connection with an inquiry into a ponzi scam pertaining to ICore group of companies, PTI reported on Friday.

The agency had registered the case against ICore Group, which had allegedly raised over Rs 3,000 crore from people by offering high returns on investments and diverted a portion of these funds, defaulting on promised returns, the officials said, according to PTI.

CBI had taken over the investigation into the matter in 2014 and registered a First Information Report against ICore e-services under Indian Penal Code sections related to criminal conspiracy and cheating. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed CBI in 2014 to take over all cases related to chit fund companies that were being investigated by the state police, PTI reported.

ICore directors Anukul Maity and his wife Kanika were arrested by the agency in 2017, according to PTI. However, Anukul Maity died at a Bhubaneswar hospital while under judicial custody.

Multiple Ponzi scheme-related cases like Saradha chit fund and Rose Valley scam have been at the center of politics in West Bengal, with several Trinamool Congress leaders being embroiled in them. The Trinamool Congress has, however, denied the allegations and accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of influencing investigating agencies to target party leaders.

Chatterjee is one of the senior leaders in the Trinamool Congress camp and one of the few who have stayed with Mamata Banerjee amid the massive exodus of party members to the BJP, in the lead up to the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

The elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. The results will be declared on May 2. The state will see a three-cornered fight between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP and an alliance between Left parties, Congress and the Indian Secular Front.