Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday took the director of Astha Group of Companies on an eight-day remand in connection with the ongoing chit fund scam.
Astha Group’s director Chandrasen Sivaji Chouhan was brought under tight security from Surat Jail by CBI sleuths and he was then produced at a special CBI court here Monday, which allowed him the remand.
“CBI prosecutor has urged the court to retain one of the directors of the company, who is lodged in Jharpada Jail. The agency’s prosecutor urged the court not to transfer Santosh Kisan Sapkale to a jail in Gujarat as his interrogation along with Chouhan might bring out crucial information about the tainted firm’s money trail,” they added.
A special court in Cuttack in 2015 had directed the state government to auction the properties of the Astha Group of Companies and distribute the sale proceeds equitably among investors, who were duped by the company. The direction came in response to a petition filed by additional district magistrate (ADM), Cuttack, seeking permission to sell the company’s properties worth `7 crore.
“The Gujarat-based company did not respond to the court summons. Hence, it allowed the government to sell the properties through auction,” the public prosecutor had said.
In 2013, a duped investor had lodged a complaint against Astha Group with the economic offences wing of Orissa crime branch (CB) in Bhubaneswar. EOW had then moved the finance department for confiscation of the company’s properties.
After verification, the department had sent documents, related to the company, to the ADM for attachment of the same.
The ADM had then taken possession of 43 acres of land owned by the company in Orissa and neighbouring West Bengal, a building worth Rs 1.8 crore and a Mercedes car and had filed a plea before the designated court seeking permission to sell these. The multi-business conglomerate had allegedly duped over 1 lakh investors of more than Rs 100 crore.
Hence, it allowed the government to sell the properties through auction,” the public prosecutor had said. PNN
