With Odisha's minister Damodar Rout and Rajya Sabha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra accusing each other involvement in the multi-crore chit fund scam, Union Minister Jual Oram today urged CBI to seek information from both the senior leaders for a better investigation into the matter.
"Both Rout and Mohapatra have been making allegations and counter allegations against each other over the chit fund scam. CBI should seek information from both the senior leaders," Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram told reporters here.
Oram said this referring to Rout's allegation that Seashore Group CMD Prashant Dash was close to Mohapatra for which he (Dash) got certain benefits from the government. As Dash was close to Mohapatra, the Ponzi Group CMD could utilise Mohapatra's influence on the government. Mohapatra was expelled from BJD in June, 2012.
Dash's ponzi group could get management of 11 government hospitals and some cold storages besides running certain tourist places. Seashore Group also got 100 acre of land at Umarkote to set up a maize processing plant in Nabarangpur district. "All these could be possible due to Mohapatra's help," Rout alleged.
However, Mohapatra denied having any link with Seashore Group CMD. He, however, admitted that Dash had visited him twice, once to give proposal to set up the maize processing unit and another time before launching of his television channel.
Mohapatra also alleged that Rout made allegations against him in order to escape from the CBI net.
"I had been demanding a CBI probe into the chit fund scam. I will cooperate the agency, if it seeks my cooperation," Mohapatra told reporters replying to a question on Oram's suggestion to CBI.
