The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested the former secretary of Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) Ashirbad Behera in connection with his alleged links in the Artha Tatwa chit fund scam. As per reports, Ashirbad Behera who donned the secretary's chair in OCA for quite a few years was arrested by the CBI early morning on Thursday, along with the owner of Hotel Solan Inn, Kamalakanta Das.

Charge sheets filed by the CBI

The CBI on August 29, had filed a supplementary charge sheet in the case. CBI had filed a chargesheet against three private persons including Behera, Kamalakanta Das, and Director of AT Group Sambit Kumar Khuntia, under relevant sections of IPC and Prize & Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978, etc. in an on-going investigation of a chit fund case. CBI had registered the instant case against the Odisha-based group of companies and others in compliance with the orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court passed on 09.05.2014 in WP(C) No. 401 of 2013.

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During course of further investigation, “It was alleged that the Odisha Cricket Association through its Secretary and in criminal conspiracy with various Odisha-based group of companies, promoted the said group of companies so that the credibility of the companies rose in the eyes of general public and more people invested in the different schemes floated by said Group of Companies,” the CBI had said in a release.

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Rs one crore received from the said group of companies 

“In lieu of the same, they allegedly received a sum of Rs. one crore (approx.) from the said group of companies in the garb of sponsorship of the Odisha Ranjit Cricket Team and title sponsorship of Odisha Premier League, 2011,” the release said. It was also alleged that the representative of a hotel in criminal conspiracy with other co-accused private persons was actively involved in the misappropriation of the immovable properties of the said Group of Companies at Balasore & Bhubaneswar and therefore, became a partner to misappropriate the said properties purchased out of the funds of the said Group of Companies. In furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, the said accused allegedly misappropriated the sale proceeds of two immovable properties.

Earlier, six charge sheets including 4 supplementary charge sheets have been filed by CBI against 33 accused persons including eight companies/firms of the said group of companies (one of the prominent chit fund companies operating in the State of Odisha).

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