Rout raps CBI for 'slow pace' of chit fund scam probe

Admin   |   14 April, 2016   |   932   |   3980

Bhubaneswar: Senior minister Damodar Rout on Wednesday said the CBI probe into Odisha mega chit fund scam had been moving at a snail's pace providing scope for tampering of evidences.

"Justice delayed is justice denied. Thousands of poor investors have reposed faith in the CBI hoping exemplary action would be taken against the chit fund swindlers, but the probe has been delayed," Rout told the media after attending a function here organised to celebrate the 68th birth anniversary of the city.

The minister's observations assumes significance in the backdrop of a summon the CBI served on food supplies and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma on April 4 for allegedly using an SUV given by tainted Artha Tatwa (AT) Group chief Pradeep Sethy.

Das Burma's alleged link in the chit fund scam came to the public domain from a CBI report submitted to the court highlighting Pradeep Sethy's confession during interrogation in September 2014. Bhubaneswar police while probing the chit fund scam arrested Sethy in 2013. The case was later handed over to the CBI following the Supreme Court direction. Official sources said the CBI interroagted Sethy and submitted the report in court. On Monday, Sethy was produced in court during which he denied Das Burma's link with him.

"Accused persons like Sethy have the tendency to change statements. He had confessed to CBI that he had given a vehicle to Das Burma. Now Sethy is telling the opposite. How could Sethy speak to a news channel from the court premises on Monday?" Rout said. His remark corroborates allegations continuously made by the opposition parties, including Congress and BJP, expressing concern over the sluggish pace of probe into the Ponzi scams, involving nearly Rs 4,600 crore by 44 companies.



The involvement of many BJD leaders in the chit fund scams has been doing the rounds since CBI took over the probe. BJD's Banki MLA Pravat Tripathy and Mayurbhanj MP Ramachandra Hansdah were arrested in two separate scams. Four IPS officers have already been quizzed in connection with the Seashore Group scam. The probe, however, fell silent after CBI questioned Saroj Sahu, a close aide of Naveen Patnaik, in November 2014. Senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, who had brought Das Burma's alleged link to the public domain last month, on Wednesday said he would expose the ministers another corruption on April 19.