By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, January 12, 2015

The Naveen government, which has been on the back foot in the state following arrests of half-a-dozen of leaders of the party in chit fund scam, on Monday received yet another setback after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) interrogated party’s Balasore MP Rabindranath Jena.

Jena came to the CBI office here at about 7.50 pm and was being questioned till the reports last came in.

Though it is not clear what he is being interrogated about, sources said the CBI might be questioning him on his alleged links with the Seashore Group, a chit fund firm that has collected over Rs 1,500 crore illegally from depositors.

Jena is the second BJD MP to be questioned by the CBI in the chit fund scam. Earlier, BJD MP from neighbouring Mayurbhanj constituency Ramchandra Hansda was arrested by the CBI after several rounds of interrogation on his links with Navadiganta Financial Services, a chit fund company.

Besides, a host of smaller leaders have also been arrested by the agency.

Reacting to the development, BJD spokesperson Samir Ranjan Dash said. “We have to wait a little to find out why Jena has been summoned before commenting on the issue.”

He hastened to reiterate the party stand that it had nothing do with what individuals did.

“Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has made it clear on the party’s foundation day that the party is not responsible for those who indulge in wrong doing,” he said.