CBI raids houses of three politicians in chit fund scam

Bhubaneswar: The CBI today conducted raids in about a dozen places including the residences of three politicians belonging to the ruling BJD and BJP in connection with their alleged involvement in the multi-crore chitfund scam in Odisha.

"CBI sleuths raided my house at Khariar and seized some documents. They have taken my ATM card and bank pass book," Hitesh Baragrti, BJP leader and ex-MLA from Khariar in Nuapada district, told a local television channel.

Forming ten groups, the sleuths raided the offices of two ponzi companies - Nabadiganta Capital Service Limited and M/s Rose Valley Group of Companies, CBI sources said.

The raids were conducted in Bhubaneswar, Keonjhar, Nuapada, Mayurbhanj and Nayagarh districts, the sources said adding the teams were still on the job.

Bagarti admitted to have been made a director of the Nabadiganta Capital Service Limited, though he refused to say anything about the activities of the ponzi company.

Besides Bagarti, the CBI sources said, raids were also conducted on the residence of BJD MP from Mayurbhanj Rama Chandra Hansda and BJD leader and ex-MLA Subarna Naik. Both Naik and Hansda said they do not have any information regarding CBI raids at their houses.

Sources, however, said the CBI team raided the residence of Hansda's native village at Bisoi in Mayurbhanj district and his house in Bhubaneswar.

Similarly, raids were conducted at the residence of Subarna Naik at Govindpur village in Keonjhar district.

All three politicians were allegedly involved in the activities of Nabadiganta Capital Service Limited.

The CBI has been probing the activities of at least 43 ponzi companies including Saradha Group in Odisha following a Supreme Court order on May 9.

CBI sources said they raided the houses of the three politicians and after getting prima facie evidence about the trio.