Terming the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) itself an “accused,” senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra on Sunday blasted it, alleging that the notice given by the Central investigating agency to Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma in connection with the chit fund scam was only meant to protect him.
He said the CBI was deliberately delaying the investigation to protect a section of influential people and demanded that the Investigation Officers (IOs) of the chit fund scam be taken to task and stern action be initiated against them.
Arguing that he had two points to justify his contention, Mohapatra told reporters, “The notice given by the CBI to Sanjay Dasburma is only to protect him. The manner in which it is handling the case it now seems that the CBI is the accused not Dasburma.”
“The Supreme Court had asked the CBI to probe the chit fund case with special focus on two aspects, political patronage and money trail. The CBI started its probe on May 9, 2014 and two years have elapsed. But the manner in which it is investigating the cases clearly exposes that it has not investigated the case with seriousness as it is trying to protect some people,” said Mohapatra.
Mohapatra further charged the CBI had accepted the report of the State Crime Branch and submitted the same in the court instead of conducting its own investigation. “The CBI accepted the Crime Branch’s report on the chit fund scam as true and submitted the same in the court to protect a section of people which is a gross violation of the Supreme Court order,” alleged Mohapatra.
He, however, clarified that neither the BJP Government at the Centre nor the State Government has influenced the CBI to delay its investigation in the chit fund scam and said some people were trying at their personal level.
He said Dasburma, being a Minister and a people’s representative, should have come personally on moral grounds to defend himself before the CBI.
“let the BJD leaders, who are trying to defend Dasburma through the media, defend their stand before the CBI if they have the moral courage,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, BJP State spokesperson Sameer Mohanty on Sunday said the SlB Investment, a money collection company, has invested in Minister Dasburma’s company.
“The Nayapalli police have arrested SlB Media and Entertainment, SlB Multipurpose Society and SlB Private ltd chief Bairi Ganjan Das in connection with the chit fund scam. He was also running an Odia daily Sarbasadharana. Now, that daily is being published by the Team Media and Hospitality Press owned by the Minister in which his family members and relatives are directors in the company,” said Mohanty.
He charged the Chief Minister was protecting Dasburma. Meanwhile, Minister Damodar Rout told reporters junior Ministers were now becoming seniors while veteran leaders and Ministers like him were becoming aged.
He said this when asked about the meeting of five young Ministers with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik last week before the latter’s Delhi visit.