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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the multi-crore chit fund scam, today raided Rose Valley Group's office in the city as part of its nationwide clampdown on the company's operation.
The probe agency raided company's offices at 43 places across the country.
Offices and homes of Rose Valley Group chairman Gautam Kundu, managing director, Shibomoy Dutta and Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul, were searched by the agency's special investigation team in West Bengal.
Sources said, the investigating sleuths have seized some incriminating documents from the offices of the chit fund firm. During the raids, some photographs featuring political leaders alongside the company officials were seized. One of these photos featured Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
"The state government has never encouraged fraudsters and fraudulent activities," said Rabi Nanda, spokesperson, Biju Janata Dal.
In Odisha, the Kolkata based Rose Valley Group has duped the gullible investors through its 65 branches. Subsequent to filing of 25 cases against the company, the state crime branch, which was probing the scam before the investigation was taken over by the CBI on the Supreme Court direction, had raided the company's offices in June 2013.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the state crime branch in June last year had moved the finance department for confiscation of properties of the firm.
The property details included 17 acres of land in Balasore and Puri, bank deposits worth Rs 53crore.
A special designated court in February this year has ordered public auction of the property and assets of Rose Valley Group and distribution of the sale proceeds among the depositors. The total value of attached properties, assets, deposits and cash is pegged at Rs 63.64 crore.
In a related development, Banki MLA Pravat Tripathy was released today from the jail after Odisha High Court granted him conditional bail on Tuesday.
Tripathy, who was accused of receiving money from another chit fund firm, Artha Tatwa, was charged with criminal conspiracy by the CBI.
