More Odisha politicians to be caught in CBI net

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Aug 18: If sources are to be believed, many more politicians of Odisha were likely to be caught in the CBI net for their alleged involvement in the chit fund scam in which 40-odd firms duped lakhs of people of hundreds of crores of rupees in the recent years.Starting its investigation on the basis of Supreme Court’s orders, the country’s premier investigating agency has so far raided the houses of at least seven fulltime politicians – four belonging to Biju Janata Dal, and one each Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and Odisha Jana Morcha.The CBI on Monday continued search operations in the State for third consecutive day by raiding houses of two political leaders – Jagneswar, general secretary of Odisha Jana Morcha, a political party headed by Pyarimohan Mohapatra, in Bolangir, and house of BJD leader Subash Padhi at Banki in Cuttack district in connection with their link to chit fund scam.Both Jagneswar and Padhi, however, denied their involvement in the scam inked to the Artha Tatwa (AT) group of companies for which the CBI has been conducting the ongoing round of raids in Odisha.CBI sleuths have been raiding houses of leaders of different political parties in connection with the scam after arrested AT group chief, Pradip Sethy told investigators that several political leaders, Bureau crats and journalists had allegedly taken kickbacks from his company.AT Group is among the total of 44 chit fund companies that are facing CBI probe for duping lakhs of investors through fraudulent money circulation schemes.Though the CBI had conducted raids in connection in less than five cases so far, sources say that many politicians will soon come under the CBI scanner for their involvement in the chit fund scam.The ruling BJD was likely to be affected most by the CBI probe into the chit fund scam, according to sources.