CBI files first chargesheet in Odisha chit fund case

Agency names three officials of ponzy firm Green India for cheating, criminal conspiracy, after recording statements of nearly 300 witnesses

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing into multi-crore chit fund scam in Odisha, has filed its first chargesheet against a ponzy firm, Green India, which is accused of illegally raising Rs 30 crore from public.

In its 188-page chargesheet, the agency named three officials of the firm, Pradeep Singh, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the firm and its directors, Sunil Panda and Jitendra Mishra for violating section 420 (cheating), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 409 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after recording statements of nearly 300 witnesses, sources said.

The firm and the officials are accused of raising money via subsidiaries, Green India Properties Private Ltd, Green India Infra Projects Private Ltd, Green India Retail Private Ltd and Green India Multi-state Cooperative Private Ltd. The chargesheet was filed just a day ahead of expiry of mandatory 120-day period provided to file the document.

CBI sources, however, have said, it was only a preliminary chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet would be filed later after investigations are complete. In the final chargesheet, the total amount raised by the firm could go up to Rs 100 crore, they said.

CBI sleuths had raided the office premises and residences of Green India officials on August 7 this year and seized huge volumes of document and Rs 10 lakh cash. CEO, Mishra, who was arrested by state police earlier, was released on bail.

The CBI is probing money trail of 44 chit fund companies in Odisha on the direction of the Supreme Court.