Odisha chit fund scam: CBI files chargesheet

The CBI Thursday filed a chargesheet in its ongoing investigation in the Odisha chit fund scam, and named 16 people, including BJD legislator Pravat Tripathy and seven companies along with the Artha Tatwa group.

They have been charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, violation of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act among others, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said.

Tripathy along with former Odisha advocate general Ashok Mohanty and Artha Tatwa group chairman-cum-managing director P.K. Sethi were named as accused in the chargesheet.

"Further investigation with regard to role of other people in a larger conspiracy, money trail and role of other agencies continues," the official said.

The probe against the Artha Tatwa group is part of the CBI probe against ponzi scheme operators, which is an offshoot of the Saradha scam.

The CBI has registered 44 first information reports (FIRs) in Odisha against as many chit fund companies.

The Supreme Court had handed over the Saradha chit fund scam probe to the CBI and asked the state governments to provide all logistical help to the agency in this connection.

The CBI has also formed a special investigation team (SIT) headed by Joint Director Rajiv Singh to also probe the role of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India.