AT chit fund scam: Orissa HC rejects former AG Ashok Mohanty’s plea

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea of former Advocate General Ashok Mohanty, an accused in Artha Tatwa (AT) ponzi scam.

Mohanty had requested the Court to exclude him from the chit fund case. Rejecting Mohanty’s plea, the Court further ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court to continue regular hearing of the case.

Notably, the CBI had arrested Mohanty for allegedly receiving property worth Rs 1.01 crore at Cuttack’s Bidanasi as a ‘gift’ from Artha Tatwa Group chief Pradeep Sethi. He was accused of abusing his official position and misappropriating funds from Artha Tatwa Group of companies.

Later, the District and Sessions Judge, Khordha, Durga Prasad Choudhury had granted bail to Mohanty.

He knocked on the door of the High Court after CBI Court rejected his plea to get rid of the case.  However, both the courts rejected his plea of excluding him from the case.