Chit fund accused suspended DSP gets bail

Suspended crime branch DSP Pramod Kumar Panda was today granted bail by the Orissa High Court in a chit fund scam-related case.
Justice Raghubir Dash allowed Panda to be released on bail after depositing Rs 10 lakh and two sureties each having solvency of like amount.
Former Advocate General Asok Mohanty, BJD MLA Pravat Tripathy, his associate Ranjan Das and builder Sagar Ray had earlier got bail after they were arrested by CBI in this case.
Panda, accused of having links with chit fund company Arthatawa (AT) group CMD Pradeep Sethy, was arrested by CBI on December 19 last year after he was grilled several times.

CBI, in its charge sheet, had said Rs nine lakh was transferred from AT group account to Panda's wife who owned a computer institute.
It was also alleged that the DSP received costly gifts and freebies from Sethy in a quid pro quo arrangement.