CBI raids senior BJD leader’s house

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Aug 16: The worst fears of many leaders of ruling Biju Janata Dal about the alleged involvement of their colleagues in the chit fund scam turned out to be true when the Central Bureau of Investigation raided the houses one of their senior leaders on Saturday.The CBI teams raided the houses of senior BJP legislator Pravat Tripathy for his alleged links with the Artha Tatwa Group.The raids were confirmed by Tripathy.The premises of another BJD Lok Sabha Member Ramachandra Hansda were raided by the CBI in connection with the chit fund scam a and a sum of Rs.28 lakh of cash was seized few weeks ago.Artha Tatwa (AT) Group is among the 44 firms that have come under CBI investigation for duping thousands of investors in the State through fraudulent money circulation schemes.The AT Group had allegedly collected Rs.500 crore from the innocent people by promising them high returns on their investments.According to sources, 25 teams of the CBI raided at as many as 56 locations in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and other places.Apart from Tripathy’s houses, the house and office of Odisha Cricket Association secretary Ashirbad Behera were also raided by CBI officials in Cuttack in connection with the AT Group case.The other premises raided belonged to AT Group chairman Pradip Sethy’s brother Prasanna Sethy in Bhubaneswar, and their father’s house in Berhampur.Pradip Sethy is in judicial custody since long.