Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, July 4: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday arrested the Congress’s state youth president Rajat Choudhury and Orissa High Court lawyer Debasish Panda for their alleged links with Artha Tatwa (AT) Group.
Sources said CBI officials Monday questioned Rajat and Debasish, whose anticipatory bail pleas were cancelled by Orissa High court earlier, for several hours before eventually arresting them.
“The Congress leader was allegedly an associate director in the AT Group. In October 2014, too, the central agency had grilled him in this connection. It was alleged that Rajat had received money from the group for facilitating a land deal on its behalf. Debasish came under CBI scanner after former advocate general Ashok Mohanty was held by the central agency September 22, 2014. Debasish, who had served as additional government advocate from 2009 and 2014, had reportedly signed as a witness in a sale deed of a house that Ashok had purchased from AT Group chief Pradeep Sethy. According to CBI, Ashok didn’t pay the total amount to Pradeep thereby raising suspicion about his links with the chit fund firm,” they added.
The arrest comes after the CBI interrogated Pradeep in Jharpada Jail Monday morning. After the arrest of Rajat, several Congress workers staged protests outside the CBI office here. Earlier, the agency had interrogated Rajat April 25 for his alleged involvement with the ponzi firm scam. The central agency had mounted raids on the house of Choudhury.