With the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police taking into custody a chitfund company chairman who also produced four Odia films, opposition BJP today demanded the arrest of four actor-turned-politicians of the ruling BJD allegedly "associated" with the ponzi firm.
Lok Sabha MP from Berhampur Siddhant Mahapatra, Rajya Sabha MP Anubhav Mohanty, MLA Akash Das Nayak and Papu Pom Pom had reportedly acted in the films produced by Oscar Group chairman Prabhas Rout, BJP state vice-president Sameer Mohanty said here.
Rout was arrested by sleuths yesterday from Delhi on the charge of duping people of Rs 230 crore.
"The actors had promoted the chit fund company owing to which the general public and small investors were influenced to invest in the firm. Rout had looted these investments," Mohanty alleged, adding they should be brought under the purview of investigation and arrested.
The close association of these leaders with the chit fund company showed that the ruling party was actively promoting the firm, he alleged, adding, "If someone is involved directly or indirectly with a thief then he or she will be termed as thief. Won't he?"
Countering this, BJD spokesperson Amar Prasad Satapathy said it was "unfair" to drag the party into the issue and asked, "How would an actor know about the source of money of a film producer?"
Asserting that he had not acted in any film under the Oscar Group banner, Das Nayak said, "As Sameer Mohanty has raked up my name, he should tell which movie I have done with the company. He should not level such allegation without any proper information."
"As far as actors are concerned, how would they know that the money invested in the films are black or white?" he asked.
Meanwhile, Crime Branch sleuths began interrogating Routh today. Two investigating officers of the EOW are interrogating him in the presence of an expert chartered accountant about the investment of Rs 230 crore in the eight Oscar Group companies.
