Organisations demand speedy probe in chitfund scam

Two days after Odisha minister Damodar Rout sought speedy completion of the ongoing probe into the multi-crore chitfund scam in the state, about two dozen organisations today said the agency should not favour leaders of ruling BJD.
The organisations under the umbrella of Civil Society Sangh staged a demonstration in front of the CBI office here.
The CSS members asked the CBI to disclose the "truth" behind the alleged links between chitfund firm Artha Tatwa (AT) Group and state minister Sanjay Dasburma.
The CBI issued a notice to the minister on April 6 after senior Congress leader Lalatandu Bidyadhar Mohapatra made public AT Group chairman's recorded statement where he had disclosed that he had gifted a car to one Sanjay Dasburma.

Earlier, cooperation and excise minister Damodar Rout had said the CBI should not prolong the investigation for an indefinite period.
"There should be a time frame for completion of the investigation," Rout said.

The ruling BJD, while defending Dasburma, has also raised questions on the agency's manner of investigation.
"Why did the CBI not issue notice in the name of any minister as soon as the AT Group chief took his name? The agency took action only after a Congress leader raised the issue. This indicates the CBI probe is being guided by someone else," BJD spokesman Pratap Keshari Deb said.

A section of BJP leaders including former party state president K V Singhdeo have raised suspicion on the manner of the CBI investigation.
"Many people suspect that CBI's investigation was not upto mark," Singhdeo said.
Senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra and Union Minister Jual Oram have also expressed their displeasure on CBI's investigation into the multi-crore scam.