Naveen, BJD mins can't escape legal action in ponzi scam: BJP

Claiming that the CBI probe has established ruling BJD's close links with tainted chitfund firms in Odisha, the BJP today said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and several other ministers cannot escape criminal proceedings in the ponzi scam.
"CBI probe into the chitfund scam has exposed the ruling BJD's close links with tainted ponzi companies in Odisha. Neither the Chief Minister nor several of his ministers will be able to escape," senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra told reporters here.
The BJP leader alleged that the Chief Minister and ministers concerned were responsible for signing of MoUs with tainted chitfund company Seashore, whose owner has been arrested.

Claiming that no due diligence and verification was conducted before signing the MoUs, Mohapatra said even the Chief Minister had attended a function of the tainted company in May 2011, ignoring a letter from the Centre which cautioned about the firm.
Stating that BJD leaders including Naveen Patnaik encouraged and promoted activities of tainted chitfund firms through their actions, he said they would face criminal proceedings for money laundering, criminal conspiracy and for their role in signing of MoUs with dubious firms.
The BJD government even went to the extent of furnishing an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating no political leader was involved in chitfund scam, Mohapatra said adding, the CBI probe into scam had proved that claims made by the Naveen government were false.

"Now it is clear that the BJD opposed a CBI probe into the chitfund scam as it sought to shield people involved in it," he said.
Stating that now both CBI and Enforcement Directorate would crack down on all those involved in the scam, the BJP leader said the party would also hit the streets in the end of this month demanding stringent action against the culprits.
Maintaining that conspirators in the scam cannot go scot free, Mohapatra also said the Chief Minister must answer as to how and why the state government had entered into pacts with tainted ponzi companies.