CBI may step-up Odisha chit fund probe

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference of chit fund scam in Odisha under the alleged patronisation of the BJD government has fuelled speculation that the CBI might step-up its investigation into the multi-crore irregularities.

Over 20 lakh small depositors have been duped to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore chit fund firms. The CBI, which has been probing into the chit fund scam, has almost stopped its investigation after its initial arrested some top leaders of the BJD for their complicity in the scam.

Three top BJD leaders – Lok Sabha member Ramachandra Hansda, Pravat Ranjan Biswal and Prabhat Tripathy (both MLAs) were arrested by the premier investigating agency. Besides, party’s former MLA from Keonjhar, Subarna Naik, was held in the case.

However, the CBI surprisingly slowed down its investigation after names of some top Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and an influential person working as political assistant of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik cropped up.

The opposition Congress has been alleging that the premier probe agency dithered to proceed further after the BJD top bosses managed the BJP central leaders by assuring them support during crucial legislation in the Parliament and other “political crises.”

In fact, the BJP on the eve of 2014 general elections had assured the affected depositors of justice by bringing the culprits to the book.