Naveen Patnaik shared dais with chit fund CMD: Srikant Jena

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena today alleged that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik shared dais with the CMD of a chit fund group.


"The very presence of Naveen'babu at a function of the controversial Seashore Group and his sharing dais with (CMD) Prasant Das gave an impression to the people that the company was good," Jena told a press conference here referring to the Chief Minister attending the launch of the group's television channel - STV on March 18, 2011.

"The Chief Minister sharing dais with Das proves his involvement," Jena said.

Reiterating the demand for a CBI inquiry into the chit fund scam, Jena said, "If the state government is not ready to hand over the case to the CBI, it should request the high court to monitor investigation being carried out by the Crime Branch of Odisha Police."

According to sources in Economic Offence Wing of the Crime Branch of Police, Das has obtained anticipatory bail from the high court and the Crime Branch has moved the Supremee Court for his arrest.

The police have registered 177 cases against 85 chit fund companies and arrested over 170 people involved in cheating gullible investors.