Bhubaneswar: The police had a tough time tackling agitated Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers who attempted to block the main road and tried to gatecrash into the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here Wednesday to protest the agency’s arrest of Cuttack-Choudwar MLA Pravat Biswal.
Clashes ensued between the police and the party workers near the CBI office, but there was no report of any injury. Alleging that Biswal was arrested at the behest of the BJP-led Union government, hundreds of BJD activists took out a motorbike rally from Cuttack to the CBI office in Unit VIII here in the day.
The bikers staged a demonstration outside the CBI office and alleged the Central probe agency was being ‘‘misutilised’’ by the saffron party-led NDA government ‘‘to settle political scores’’.
Meanwhile, reports about imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPc in front of the CBI office here were discarded by the cops. According to sources, Biswal was being interrogated by special investigation team (SIT) deputy inspector general Manish Kumar Sinha in connection with the transfer of money to his wife’s bank accounts.
After taking the BJD MLA on remand for five days Tuesday, the CBI had raided three places associated with the lawmaker Tuesday night. Biswal was arrested by the CBI Monday night and produced before a special court here Tuesday on charges of his alleged transactions with the Seashore Group ponzi firm.
“Investigations have revealed that the wife of the accused (MLA) had received huge amount of money from the CMD of a private group of companies/entities (Seashore), based at Orissa, for their smooth functioning in and around the Cuttack area,’’ a CBI statement said. The agency had lodged a case in June, 2014 against the Seashore group and others, pursuant to a Supreme Court direction in the chit fund scam.
It was alleged the group had raised deposits of over `1,000crore by promising a high rate of returns. It was believed that the accused after raising crores of rupees had misappropriated the funds and did not return the dues.
The investors had lost over `500 crore. The CBI had filed a chargesheet against the chairman and managing director and directors of the ponzi firm. Further investigations are on to look into the money trail angles, as mandated by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Biswal’s spouse, who has claimed her husband to be innocent, questioned as to why her husband has been arrested who has no link with the firm.
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