Bhubaneswar: The Indian Youth Congress on Monday suspended its Odisha unit head Rajat Choudhury after he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the Artha Tatwa (AT) chit fund scam. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chief Prasad Harichandan informed this to media in New Delhi this evening.
The action was on expected lines after the Congress leader’s name had cropped in a Rs one core land deal with AT scam accused Mitu Mohanty, who has already been arrested in the case. Choudhury was also under CBI scanner for his suspicious role in the sale transaction of two flats in Bhubaneswar worth over Rs 80 lakhs.
During its investigation, the agency had come to know that Choudhary had the power of attorney for a property belonging to AT Group. The property was sold for Rs 94 lakh to chit fund scam accused Dilip Mohanty, who never paid the amount to the Ponzi firm. Choudhury had also taken some lakhs of rupees and a vehicle from Sethy, investigations have revealed.
Sources in the investigating agency said the Congress leader failed to give satisfactory answers to the queries posed by it during his interrogation.
Along with Choudhury, the central investigating agency has also arrested Orissa High Court lawyer Debasis Panda for his alleged links with AT group chief Pradeep Sethy.
The arrest followed an hour-long interrogation of Sethy by CBI sleuths at Jharpada jail earlier in the day.