Patnaik should reply on chit fund scam immediately: Cong

Bhubaneswar, May 3 (PTI) Opposition Congress in Odisha today asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to react immediately in order to exonerate himself from the alleged chit fund scam.

"We have been demanding the Chief Minister's statement and stalling Assembly for the last few days over the chit fund scam. But, the government remains mum. Let them react before it is too late," Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said in the Assembly, which saw disruption over the issue.

Mishra said this as Congress and BJP members stalled the House since four days demanding removal of retired justice M M Das from the judicial commission probing into the chit fund scam and resignation of minister Sanjay Dasburma.

"The government does not want to take action against Justice Das as it finds an escape route from the scam through the judicial commission," the Congress leader alleged.

Seeking clarification from the Chief Minister, Mishra wanted to know who operates a bank account at SBI's main branch, Bhubaneswar.

"In which way you and BJD are associated with the said bank account? Who operates this bank account? Are you (CM) aware of this account?," Mishra asked Patnaik.

"I also wanted to know from the Chief Minister that who is Purna Chandra Padhi. Whether he is involved in the chit fund scam and jailed? Are the Padhis related to the Artha Tatwa Group," Mishra asked.