The Special CBI court on Monday allowed the Central investigating agency to take former Managing Director (MD) of Microfinance limited Durga Prasad Mishra, who was arrested by the CBI in connection with the mega chit fund scam on Sunday, on a six-day remand.
Senior CBI counsel Kali Charan Mishra had moved a petition seeking a seven-day remand for Mishra in the court while Mishra's counsel has moved a bail petition on health grounds. But it was not taken up for hearing on Monday.
Mishra was brought to Bhubaneswar late on Sunday evening after being arrested somewhere in Baleswar earlier on Sunday. He was taken to the Capital Hospital for medical check-up on Monday.
Speaking to reporters at the hospital Mishra said Microfinance was not a chit fund company. "We operated as per RBI guidelines," he said.
"We have been in the business for 30 years now. How can things change overnight," he asked alleging that there was a conspiracy against the company.
CBI had raided the residence of Mishra at Aruabhumi Apartments in Patia on December 8 and had seized some documents.
Meanwhile, Mishra's son Kali Prasad appeared before the CBI on Monday. He was grilled for nearly an hour by CBI sleuths.
However, he did not reveal anything about the interrogation.
Meanwhile, the Odisha High Court on Monday refused to grant anticipatory bail to former Crime Branch DSP Pramod Kumar Panda, who had approached the court seeking advance bail in order to avoid arrest following raids in his house by the CBI in connection with the chit fund scam. Panda is currently working as a DSP in Nayagarh DIB.
Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo pronounced the verdict that had been reserved last week after completion of the hearing on Panda's bail application. Sources said the High Court refused to give relief to the police officer stating that the materials seized from his house could establish his links with the Artha Tatwa Group.
It may be mentioned that Panda while working in the Crime Branch, which was earlier investigating the chit fund scam, had reportedly threatened of dire consequences to chit fund petitioner in Supreme Court Alok Jena and his wife Kalpana in New Delhi. Subsequently, the CBI had raided his house and seized certain incriminating documents from his possession.