Chit fund panel to receive affidavits till Sept. 30

The Justice RK Patra Commission of Enquiry into chit-fund related irregularities in Odisha, today extended its deadline for a second time for receiving statements of affidavits from the public.
Speaking to reporters, Justice Patra said that the panel would now receive affidavits till September 30.
While the initial deadline for it was fixed for August 31, it was first extended to September 18 when a large number of people expressed their desire to file affidavits.
Sources said that the deadline was further extended to September 30 with the panel feeling that a larges number of people wanted to submit affidavits who were affected by the unauthorised collection of money through chit funds.

Till Thursday last, the commission had received more than 2.30 lakh affidavits with the numbers set to grow further.
Sources said the panel might end up receiving more than 3 lakh affidavits by September 30.

That would be a huge task at hand for the Commission, which has been asked to submit its report within three months, sources added.
Odisha government had in July appointed Justice Patra, a former Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court, to head the one-man panel to identify individuals and entities involved in unauthorised collection of public deposits.
He was also asked to find out about the alleged involvement of influential persons in protecting and promoting such illegal activities in the state.