In another jolt to the ruling BJD, the CBI, which is probing the multi-crore chit fund scam in the State, on Saturday asked two of the party’s leaders, Baleswar MP Rabindra Kumar Jana and Choudwar MlA Pravat Biswal’s wife laxmi Bilasini, to depose before the probe agency within two days.
The two were summoned in connection with multi-crore Seashore chit fund scam, sources said. laxmi Bilasini is a former President of Cuttack Zilla Parishad.
The CBI had earlier quizzed Jena and laxmi Bilasini in connection with the Seashore chit fund.
Jena, however, told this newspaper that no fresh notice has been sent to him by the CBI. The investigation had sent a notice to him on November 14 to deposed before it, but he had intimated that he was in New Delhi to attend the Parliament session.
He further said he had replied to the CBI that his chartered accountant would explain the relevant financial transactions to the agency. And, in fact, his chartered accountant visited the CBI office in Bhubaneswar on Saturday and explained the details, Jena said
Notably, BJD Mayubhanj MP Ramchandra Hansda, Banki MlA Pravat Tripathy and party’s former MlA Subarna Nayak had earlier been arrested allegedly on the charges of having links with different chit fund firms that have duped people crores of rupees.
While Hansda and Nayak were arrested for their alleged links with the Navadiganta chit fund firm, Tripathy had been taken into custody for having link with the Artha Tatwa Group, another tainted chit fund firm. Tripathy is now out on bail.
Again, the CBI had in August this year questioned a close aide of School and Mass Education and Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra and another BJD Cuttack functionary for their alleged links with the Seashore Group of Companies.
The Minister’s aide Dillip Mishra was looking after his constituency-related matters while Prafulla Singh is a former executive president of the BJD’s Cuttack district unit.
The woe for the ruling party doesn’t end here. Recently, the CBI had also written to the Assembly Secretariat seeking information regarding car passes issued to MlAs during sessions of the House.
The probe agency sought this information after receiving allegations that Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Kumar Dasburma had taken two SUVs form the Artha Tatwa Group owner Pradeep Sethy. The Minister had also been asked to submit documents relating to his vehicles before the probe agency.
Earlier in November 2014, the CBI had also quizzed Saroj Sahu, an aide of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, for his alleged links with the Seashore Group.