Saradha scam: CBI conducts search at 56 places

BHUBANESHWAR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday carried out raid across the state as part of its investigation into the chit fund scam in Odisha this time in connection with the ArthaTatwa Group.

Its teams came calling at residences of amongst others, BJD MLA Pravat Tripathy, Artha Tatwa owner Pradeep Sethy, certain real estate and mining businessmen, certain proprietors of Oriya language papers and even the Secretary Asirbad Behera of Odisha Cricket Association.

The raids, coming after recent raids in connection to the Sarada chit fund case, had been carried out in more than 50 address across the state, in Bhubaneshwar, Berhampur, Balesore and Bhadrak.

A senior official of the OCA, clarified that they had received 1crore in four cheques from the company for sponsorship and advertisement.

“Ours is all white transaction and the OCA has nothing to hide,” said an OCA member.

At its peak companies, such as ArthaTatwa Group, sponsored events and advertised generously in the state. Former Congress Union Minister Srikant Jena has used such an event that saw the CM share podium with the CMD of Seashore Group, another chit fund company under scrutiny, to allege that the BJD had allowed such firms to dupe thousands of small investors across the state.

Former Patnaik strategist, turned foe, Pyarimohan Mohapatra said, “I have no comments to make on going on in that party.” Last month Mohapatra, who himself has been accused of nurturing close ties with certain other companies, had accused the BJD of “benefitting” from Artha Tatwa.