Amidst the allegations of opposition parties that the CBI is tampering with the chit fund probe and demand of resignation of Minister Sanjay Dasburma for his alleged link with the tainted Artha Tatwa chit fund company, senior Minister Damodar Rout on Wednesday said the political leaders should adhere to morality and Odia proverb Alo Sakhi Apana Mahata Ape Rakhi, in an apparent reference to Dasburma.
The statement of Rout has put the ruling BJD and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a fix. Patnaik is still maintaining silence over the issue.
Rout told reporters that “One, particularly in public life, has to maintain utmost morality and safeguard his dignity. If they don’t then who will teach themIJ”
On the demand of Opposition for ouster of Dasburma from his post, Rout said in politics, people are not brought to the party after a blood test.
“How can one know about the character of a person who is inducted in a partyIJ If that person is found guilty of committing crime, the party should not be blamed. It is a matter of an individual,” said Rout.
However, Rout said no one has any conclusive proof on the links of the Minister with the chit fund company. The outcome would be known in course of time.
He too observed that the CBI should not prolong the chit fund probe at least keeping in view the magnitude of the scam and should complete the probe in a specified timeframe.
Regarding the recent statement of Artha Tatwa (AT) Group chief Pradip Sethy’s statement to media that he had never gifted a Pajero SUV to anybody and Dasburma is an innocent person, Rout asked how come Sethy could give a statement to the media while inside the jailIJ
“Now-a-days criminals are behaving and talking like saints even languishing jails. If a criminal is able to give his statement to the media while he is in jail freely, then how come the privacy in the investigation. A criminal, who had told the media a few days ago that he has gifted a vehicle, has now changed his statement. Should there be a debate on something based on the statement of a criminalIJ” wondered Rout.
He also urged the CBI do take measures to ensure that criminals like Sethy are not able to give their statements to the media.