With the special OPID court ordering the confiscation of the movable and immovable property of the chit fund company Artha Tatwa group on Wednesday, Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have trained their guns on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The special OPID court (a designated court that operates under the Odisha Protection of Interests (in Financial Establishments) Act, 2011) in Cuttack in its order stated that the confiscated property and assets of the Artha Tatwa group would be auctioned and the funds from the auction would be distributed among its investors, who have long been waiting for the refund of their money.
The BJD has won two elections by promising the small depositors to pay back their hard-earned money. But the government is yet to return the money to all the chit fund scam victims.
Also Read: Chit-fund scam: Property of Artha Tatwa chit fund to be confiscated
“The government has betrayed the chit fund depositors for ten years. As the general election is approaching, we hope the government will refund the victims their money. Or else, these 70 lakh small depositors’ families won’t hesitate to ensure the failure of the government,” said convenor of Milita Khyatigrasta Jamakari Mancha, Jayant Das.
Meanwhile, the BJP said they would return the money to the chit fund victims by bringing in a special ordinance within 24 hours of his coming to power.
“In 2024, we will bring an ordinance the very next day of coming to power and will return every rupee of the poor depositors,” said BJP leader, Pradeep Purohit.
Similarly, Congress MLA Suresh Routray said, “We have already decided that if our party comes to power, we will return the small depositors’ money.”
In his response, BJD MLA Amar Satpathy said, “The government is never lenient towards the chit fund companies. Their assets have been confiscated. Many are still behind bars.”