The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the multi-crore chit fund scam, on Tuesday conducted simultaneous raids at 58 places across the country, including two in Odisha, belonging to the Samruddha Jeevan Multi-State Multipurpose Cooperative Society, on charges of duping investors.
Samruddha Jeevan is one of the chit fund companies among the 44 which are being probed by the CBI following a Supreme Court directive.
CBI sleuths searched the offices and homes of the company officials in Bargarh and Malkangiri districts in the State.
Sources said the officials seized many documents, computers, stamps and other incriminating materials from the offices in the two districts.
In January this year, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had written to the State Finance Department that the Samruddha Jeevan Multi-State Multipurpose Cooperative Society was allegedly collecting deposits illegally from the public. The sources said the company has operations in 16 States and has 36 offices in Odisha.
Though the firm was entitled to provide loans to people, it was collecting deposits from people by luring them with high interest rates.