Amid speculations that the CBI is contemplating to up its ante in the chit fund scam investigation and bring under its scanner some senior IPS officers after the arrest of a former Crime Branch DSP, the visit of two senior CBI officials to the State police headquarters here on Monday gave more impetus to such rumours.
CBI Joint Director Sumanbala Sahu and SP MK Sinha came here in the afternoon triggering a flurry of activities at the police headquarters, including the Crime Branch annex. Meeting several senior IPS officers, the CBI officers also held a discussion with State DGP Sanjeev Marik, which lasted for nearly two hours.
While the CBI officers did not speak to the waiting mediapersons, Marik obliged with a statement that the CBI officers’ arrival was purely a “courtesy visit” and had nothing specific about the ongoing chit fund scam investigation.
“During a normal and annual inspection of the CBI Regional Office in Bhubaneswar, the CBI Joint Director paid a courtesy visit to the police headquarters,” said the DGP, adding that the CBI officers also thanked the State police for its cooperation extended to the Central agency in the State.
It may be mentioned that following the Supreme Court’s order, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CBI is now investigating into the chit fund scam. Marik further clarified that CBI Joint Director Sahu is not part of the SIT, which is investigating into the money trail and conspiracy angle of some 44 chit fund companies.
Marik informed that the police headquarters has already received the intimation from the CBI about the arrest and remand of DSP Pramod Kumar Panda, who was previously working in the Crime Branch. “The immediate follow-up action in this case is to put the arrested officer under suspension and necessary steps will be taken in this regard,”
Marik said.