With a five-member team of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) interrogating Artha Tatwa (AT) Group CMD Pradeep Sethy on Tuesday in connection with the multi-crore chit fund scam in the State, the ruling BJD leaders appear to be jittery.
The SFIO team interrogated Sethy and the other accused in the AT scam at the Jharpada Special Jail here.
The investigation, which has started since Monday, would continue for three to four days, said SFIO Assistant Director Manoj Sahoo after quizzing Sethy.
“We will investigate as to which rule has been violated by the AT Group under the Companies Act”, Sahoo added.
BJD leaders are apprehensive because Pradeep Sethy is expected to reveal the names of the two Ministers, who have allegedly taken money and other favours from him.
Earlier, Sethy while being produced in a local court last week had told the media that two Ministers have taken money from him and that he would reveal their names to the SFIO.
Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi has suspended two policemen, who escorted Sethy for his appearance in the court, for letting him speak to the mediapersons about the alleged nexus of two Ministers with him.
It might be mentioned that the Special CBI Court here has ordered the SFIO to interrogate Sethy and four others, Jyoti Prakash Patnaik, Srikrushna Padhi, Deepak Parekh and Manoj Patnaik, in connection with the chit fund scam.
The four others were directors in various AT Group companies and presently cooling their heels behind bars. The court has directed the SFIO to interrogate the five accused, including Sethy, and submit a report within a month.