By Bizodisha Bureau in Bhubaneswar, February 19, 2015

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday filed the preliminary charge sheet against six persons, including ruling Biju Janata Dal MP from  Mayurbhanj Rama Chandra Hansda, former MLAs Hitesh Bagarti and Subarna Nayak, at special CBI Court here for alleged involvement in the chit fund scam.

The charge sheet has also named company CMD Anjan Baliarsingh and Directors Pradip Patnaik and Kartikeya Parida who are now lodged in Jharpada jail here.

These six persons in their capacity as directors have been accused of cheating over Rs 8 crore from the investors through four companies such as Nabadiganta Capital services Ltd (NCSL), Nabadiganta Agro Industries Ltd (NAIL), Nabadiganta Project Limited and Nabadiganta Properties Limited.

The charge sheet has named only two companies—NCSL and NAIL— as money were diverted and collected in the name of these companies.

The 130-pages charge sheet, containing 110 witnesses and list of document seized, was submitted by the CBI to the Court.

The charge sheet is only a preliminary one to meet the statutory requirement of filing the charge sheet within 120 days, sources in the CBI said.

On July 31 last, the CBI had raided the houses of three politicians– Hansda, Bagarti and Subarna Nayak.

Cash worth Rs 28 lakh and some incriminating documents had been seized in the raid at Hansda’s Rairangpur residence.

After several rounds of questioning, the CBI arrested the three on November 5.

Earlier on October 26 last year, the agency had arrested Nabadignata CMD Anjan Baliarsingh and Directors Pradip Patnaik and Kartikeya Parida.

Sources in the CBI said Nabadiganta has swindled over Rs 100 crore from the people of the state.

The company had opened as many as 50 accounts in Axis, IDBI, ICICI and Allahabad Bank in the state, including in Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar, and collected money from the people by promising them attractive returns.

Earlier, CBI had filed preliminary charge sheets against Green India, Artha Tatwa (AT) Group and Micro Finance Limited (MFL) in connection with the mega chit fund scam in the state.

The charge sheet has slapped charges against the accused under several sections of the IPC, including 120 (B), 409, 420 of IPC and sections 4, 5, 6 of the Prize Chit and Money Circulation (Banning) Act, 1978.