Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) secretary Asirbad Behera, along with three other OCA officials, on Monday appeared at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here for interrogation in connection with their alleged links with Artha Tatwa (AT) Group, a major player in the mega chit fund scam in the State.
Besides Behera, OCA joint secretary Sanjeev Dutta, cashier Sahajahan and accountant Basant Swain appeared at the ED after being summoned.
Earlier, Behera had appeared at the CBI, probing the multi-crore chit fund scam, for five times for interrogation.
The ED grilled them for around five hours on the financial dealings of the OCA with the AT Group in connection with Odisha Premier league (OPl). The AT Group had sponsored the OPl tournament and paid Rs 1 crore towards sponsorship fees.
Behera’s son Sanjay, secretary of the Odisha Football Association (FAO), had also been grilled by the CBI earlier.
Behera told reporters that he made statements at the ED on the lines he had done before the CBI.
Behera, who is holding the OCA secretary’s post consecutively for the fourth time, was dragged into the controversy after the OCA had organised the inaugural edition of the T20 cricket tournament, OPl, in 2011 in the line with the Indian Premier league (IPl).
Owner of one of the OPl teams Angul Tuskers, Bikash Ranjan Swain, who is also the owner of an Odia newspaper, has been put behind bars for his connection with the AT Group.