Odisha chit fund scam accused attempts suicide in jail

Pradeep Sethy, the prime accused in Rs 1,200 crore Aartha Tatwa chit fund scam, attempted to kill himself by slashing his wrist in a special jail here late on Saturday night, said an official on Sunday.

"Pradip Sethy sustained minor injuries on his wrist and has been provided treatment. Nothing major has happened to him. His suicide bid was just to threaten the jail authorities," said Jharpada Jail Superintendent Rabindra Nath Swain.

He said security around Sethy had been increased following the incident.

Sources said Sethy's wife visited the jail on Sunday morning to enquire about his health. However, she was not allowed to meet her husband as public meeting is prohibited on holidays.

Sethy has been in jail since May 2013 after he was arrested by the state Police Crime Branch.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the probe into the chit fund scam in the state following the direction of Supreme Court, has estimated that Aartha Tatwa (AT) group defrauded thousands of depositors of a total of about Rs 1,200 crore.

--IANS

cd/kb/vt