Chit fund scam: CBI interrogates BJD MP, two ex-MLAs

The CBI Sunday interrogated BJD MP Ramachandra Hansda and two former legislators in Odisha for their alleged complicity in the multi-crore chit fund scam.

During the two-hour interrogation, while the CBI questioned the BJD MP for the second time in three days, it also interrogated former legislators Subarna Nayak of the BJD and Hitesh Bagarti of then BJP.

They were questioned about their alleged link with the Nabadiganta Capital Financial Services, which has duped depositors in the state, said CBI sources.

The three leaders were directors in the company.

Besides, CMD of the company Anjan Kumar Baliarsingh and two of its directors Kartikeya Parida and Pradeep Patnaik were also interrogated for siphoning the funds.

They all were interrogated in a group after being questioned individually several times in recent days, said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources.

However, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders denied having any hand in duping the depositors.

"I was convinced by Baliarsingh and some associates to invest and join as the director in the company. I have a bond of Rs.3 lakh in the company. However, when I came to know that the company is raising public money, I resigned in 2012," said Hansda.

The two former MLAs, who were also directors in the company, echoed the same view, saying they were unaware about the functioning of the company, which has cheated people.

They also denied taking money from the company.

Hansda, who was grilled for four hours Friday, was questioned again about Rs.28 lakh cash seized by the CBI from his Rairangpur residence in Mayurbhanj district during a raid in July.

The BJD MP, however, claimed that it was his own money that he had kept for renovation of his house.

The CBI also raided the houses of the former MLAs for their alleged links with the scam-tainted chit fund firm Nabadiganta.

On Oct 25, BJD legislator Pravat Tripahty was questioned for the fourth time for his alleged link with Artha Tatwa Group, a home grown chit fund company.

During 90 minutes of interrogation by the CBI, he was questioned for the Best Youth Cooperator's award given to Artha Tatwa Group CMD Pradeep Sethy in 2010.