Concerned citizens, social activists and members of various social action groups held a demonstration in front of the CBI office in New Delhi on Thursday, alleging that the CBI investigation into the multi-crores chit fund scam in Odisha has been stopped due to nexus between top officials of the central probe agency with the scamsters, who include chit fund operators and ruling politicians and bureaucrats.

The activists in their memorandum to the CBI Director, New Delhi, said that the CBI inquiry turned sluggish after CBI officials questioned SarojSahu, who is an employee in the office of Chief Minister’s residence in November 2014. 

Since then, the inquiry has gone awry and come to a grinding halt.

They alleged that the silence of CBI in last two to three years in Odisha speaks volume about possible unholy nexus of tainted Special Director CBI Rakesh Asthana and other CBI officials with chit fund culprits and BJD politicians, bureaucrats and IPS officers.

Citing the allegation of Dr Damodar Rout, former Minister of BJD, that there was a Rs 100-crore deal of the State Government with the CBI officers to suppress the scam, they said that Asthana helped a few IPS officers from Odisha to face interrogation late in the night at the CBI’s regional office to avoid media expose.

Besides, they slammed the CBI for not starting investigation into the Black Rose ship issue due to proximity of its officials with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

They demanded steps to expedite the probe to give fast justice to the duped investors in chit fund scams, besides launching a probe into the Black Rose sinking off the Paradip coast.