The CBI probing the chit fund scam in the State on Tuesday produced 16 accused people arrested by it for their alleged links with ponzi firm Artha Tatwa (AT) Group at the Special CBI Court here. The high profile people among the accused, Banki BJD MlA Pravat Tripathy, AT Group chief Pradeep Sethy, Mumbai-based model Preeti Bhatia, newspaper owners Madhu Mohanty and Bikash Swain, Odia TV channel owner Manoj Das and builder Sagar Ray, were produced in the court. The court after fixing their next date of appearance for January 12 sent them back to the Jharpada jail here.
In a related development, sources said, the CBI has decided to take AT Group directors Jagabandhu Panda and Manoj Pattanaik on remand for interrogation. In another development, the Brahmapur ADJ court rejected the bail plea of BISWA NGO chief Khirod Mallick, who was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing of the State Crime Branch on October 27 in connection with financial fraud committed by his NGO. After hearing Mallick’s bail plea, the ADJ Court had reserved the order to Monday.