Even as he approached the Orissa High Court seeking anticipatory bail following the raids on his house and offices conducted by the CBI in connection with the Seashore chit fund scam last month, another agency of the Central Government on Monday conducted raids at Baleswar BJD MP Rabindra Kumar Jena’s office and factory here.
While a five-member team of the Central Excise raided Jena’s office at OT Road here, search was carried out at Om Pipe Manufacturing Factory in Somnathpur. Some incriminating documents were seized during the raids, reports added. The raids which started in the morning continued till the evening.
However, Jena described the raids as a “political vendetta” against him and said this is being done as the panchayat polls is underway.
“I do not know why the Central Excise officials conducted raids. This is a political vendetta against me as one after another central agencies are conducting raids at my offices and houses,” said the first time lok Sabha member in New Delhi. Jena said he won’t be surprised if more raids are conducted in the coming days.
Meanwhile, reacting to Jena’s allegation senior BJP leader and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said that Jena should have thankful for not being arrested.
“He should be thankful for not being arrested so far. He would have been behind bars now,” said Oram without revealing more about whom the MP should be thankful.
Earlier on January 12, the CBI had earlier conducted raids at Jena’s two houses in Baleswar and Government quarters in New Delhi in connection with the Seashore Group chit fund scam.
Jena had also deposed before the CBI on December 10 last and was questioned for around seven hours over his alleged links with the tainted chit fund company.
Jena headed the ‘Supratik’ group of companies, which had lent an amount of Rs 18 crore to the Seashore Group in 2010. Seashore had paid back the lion’s share of the money, but still owed `1.86 crore to him, the sources said.