CBI questions BJD leader in chit fund scam

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Sep 16: Senior leader and sitting legislator of ruling Biju Janata Dal Pravat Tripathy was on Tuesday questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation for his alleged involvement links with Artha Tatwa Group which is involved in the mega chit fund scam in Odisha.Tripathy appeared before the CBI a day after he filed a petition in Orissa High Court seeking anticipatory bail apprehending arrest by the investigating agency.He was allowed to leave the CBI office late in the evening after six hours of grilling.The High Court was yet to hear anticipatory bail plea since such pleas were being taken up for hearing on a first come, first served basis.Tripathy, who is also the president of the Mahanagar Durga Puja Committee of Cuttack city, had moved the High Court on Monday, several days after his houses were raided by the CBI in connection with his alleged links with the Artha Tatwa Group, whose chief Pradip Sethy was arrested in the chit fund case several months ago.The CBI had on Sunday arrested two media house owners – Madhu Mohanty and Manoj Das – after several rounds of questioning for their financial dealings with the AT Group.After raiding Tripathy’s houses in Banki and Cuttack, the CBI had also raided the house of Subash Padhi, a local BJD leader in Banki.The investigating agency had also interrogated Ashish Sahu, executive committee member of the BJD and associate of Tripathy, a few days ago in connection with the chit fund scam involving the AT Group.Meanwhile, reacting to Tripathy’s questioning by the CBI, BJD spokesperson Amar Satpathy claimed that the Banki’s legislator’s appearance before the CBI would not affect the image of the BJD or Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.