Nothing wrong in speeding up chit fund probe before panchayat polls: Oram

Bhubaneswar: Union Tribal Affairs minister Jual Oram on Sunday dropped a bombshell by saying that there was no wrong in speeding up the CBI probe into the chit fund scam before Panchayat elections in Odisha.

“What is the problem if CBI speeds up its probe into the chit fund scam before panchayat polls in the state? If it puts the ruling BJD in trouble, so be it” said Oram.

Oram said BJD is in a fix as CBI would intensify its probe into the chit fund scam.

“The CBI will expedite the investigation process into the chit fund scam. The probe will no way be slowed down,” said the minister.

The statement of the union minister raised a question mark over the autonomy of CBI with the ruling BJD accusing BJP of using the investigating agency for a political motive.

Notably, CBI has summoned BJD’s Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena and Laxmi Bilasini Biswal, wife of Choudwar BJD MLA Prabhat Biswal, for their alleged links with Seashore Group of companies, which has duped thousands of depositors in the state.

“If the CBI is doing it intentionally then it’s not wise in part of the democracy. We have nothing to say if the summon is issued as part of a regular process. If it is doing it intentionally to harass the state governments then it’s not wise,” said Higher Education minister Pradeep Panigrahi.

Earlier, Oram had triggered a controversy by saying that the center is lenient on Odisha government over chit fund and mining scams.

“The Centre let the BJD government off the hook in chit fund and mining scams. Otherwise, the state government would have been finished by the CBI,” Oram had stated.