Artha Tatwa chit fund scam: Businessman Vineet Lalani grilled by ED 

Intensifying its investigation into the chit fund scam by Artha Tatwa(AT) Group, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly grilled businessman Vineet Lalani on Wednesday.

As per reports, the ED raided eight locations linked to the accused including six in Bhubaneswar and one each in Berhmapur and Chhatrapur as part of its investigation into the alleged money laundering.

During raids, the ED sleuths seized cash worth Rs 23 lakh, a luxury car worth Rs 35 lakh, gold ornaments worth Rs 24.15 lakh, sale deeds, bank cheques, and digital evidence. After the raid, the accused was put on notice for deposition before the ED. 

The ED had quizzed another accused Sagar Ray on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, real estate builder Sagar Ray also deposed before the ED again on Wednesday. The ED officials interrogated both Lalani and Ray face to face regarding their complicity in the scam and money laundering, sources added.

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It may be noted here that five accused -- Manoj Das, owner of a TV channel, Bikash Swain, proprietor of an Odia daily newspaper, builder Vineet Lalani, and AT Group directors Sambit Khuntia and Manoj Patnaik -- arrested in connection with the Artha Tatwa (AT) Group chit fund scam were granted conditional bail from the High Court on November 11, 2016.

The four of them had been in jail for more than two years.