Two media house owners arrested by CBI

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Sep 15: As the ruling Biju Janata Dal faced embarrassment with the CBI questioning an executive committee of the party on Sunday, Odisha media came into the picture in a big way with the investigating agency arrested Madhu Mohanty, owner of Odia newspaper Odisha Bhaskar and Manoj Dash, owner of Odia TV channel Kamyab TV for their alleged link with chit fund company Artha Tatwa Group.Mohanty and Dash were arrested after several rounds of questioning with their financial dealings with the AT Group.It has been alleged that Mohanty, who took the lead in the formation of a Press Club in the recent months, allegedly took Rs.65 lakh from AT Group chief Pradeep Sethy for his business, but did not return the money.Dash too had allegedly taken money from Sethy, but did not return it.The two were grilled by the CBI for hours.The CBI had arrested Bikash Swain, owner of Odia daily Suryaprava over his business transaction with Artha Tatwa Group on September 5.As the nexus between the Odisha media houses was coming to light, the BJD was also attracting criticism from various quarters following questioning of Ashish Sahu, executive committee member of the party in connection with the multi-crore scam.The4 CBI had on Saturday questioned general secretary of the youth wing of BJD, Biswaranjan Khatei alias Bapi for his alleged links with the chit fund scam.Prior to that, the CBI had raided the houses of Mayurbhanj MP Ramachandra Hansda and Banki legislator Pravat Tripathy in connection with the chit fund scam.Both belonged to the BJD.The CBI had also grilled former Advocate General of Odisha Ashok Mohanty on Saturday.Mohanty had purchased a house from the AT Group owner in Cuttack.