The CBI has reportedly discovered a number of fake investors, who were issued bonds by the AT Group.
According to sources, CBI officials had asked the Income Tax Department for a list of investors, including political leaders and bureaucrats, who had invested money in this chit fund company.
However, a senior I-T official has informed the CBI team that there were a number of fake investors, who, in spite of no investment, have been issued with bonds by the company. On the basis of the bonds, these investors were eligible for monthly interest.
While the I-T Department has failed to identify such investors, reliable sources in the CBI said these fake investors include senior political leaders, bureaucrats and police officers.
There are also reports that several of them had invested money and gold under fake names. Efforts are on to gather evidence against these persons, the sources added.
Meanwhile, the State Crime Branch on Thursday handed over all the seized documents of the Seashore Group to the CBI for further investigation. The State police have given data of the seized properties of the company including deposits worth more than Rs 2 crore in 275 accounts in different banks, two quintal silver and 1.385 kg gold.
Besides, the Crime Branch has informed about the seizure of two farm houses, eight apartments, 205 acres of land and four luxurious vehicles during raids in connection with chit fund scam.
Sources said that several bigwigs are likely to be caught by the CBI after a few surprise raids ahead. As Seashore owner Prashant Das had very good relation with several influential persons of the State, possible CBI raids on the influential persons’ houses are on the cards.
The Central agency grilled a regional daily newspaper owner and a senior official of an Odia daily for six hours to find out whether they had any financial relation with the AT Group chief or not. The CBI found that the newspaper owner had taken Rs 4 crore from Sethy.
The Central agency interrogated 18 persons out of total 76 who had taken around Rs 200 crore from Sethy.