Oscar scam: Crime Branch gets vital clues during remand of Pravas Rout

Bhubaneswar: The Crime Branch has got some vital clues about the financial transactions of Oscar and links between the chit-fund company and the Ollywood film industry during the second stint of remand of its chief Pravas Rout, sources in the agency have said.

The second phase of Rout's remand ends today.

On the basis of the information that the Crime Branch has got during the interrogation of Pravas in remand, the investigating agency is likely to quiz some Odia cine artistes.

Pravas was taken on 10-day remand in two phases. His company, Oscar, has allegedly defrauded investors of Odisha, Gujarat and Maharashtra of more than Rs 230 crore.

Sources said the chit fund company had collected money from depositors through 58 branches in Gujarat on the promise of providing high returns. Three cases are pending against the chit-fund company in the western State.

A Crime Branch team had gone to Gujarat to investigate the fraudulent operations of the company while about 15 investors from Maharashtra filled cases against Oscar at the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) here the other day.