CBI files first charge sheet in Odisha's chit fund scam

The CBI Tuesday filed in court the first charge sheet on the multi-crore chit fund scam in Odisha.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a 188-page charge sheet in the Special CBI Court here against Green India Private Limited, a chit fund company which has duped people of around Rs.30 crore in the state.

"It was a preliminary charge sheet against the company. We will file a comprehensive charge sheet later after the investigation process is over," a CBI source said.

The charge sheet has named three top executives of the company under various sections of the IPC and under Section 456 of the Prize Chit and Money Circulation (Banning) Scheme Act, 1978.

The charge sheet names nearly 300 people as witnesses in the case, sources said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pradeep Singh and directors Sunil Panda and Jitendra Mishra were formally charged for their involvement in the scam, said sources.

The investigating agency had searched houses of Singh and Panda in Berhampur in Ganjam district in August this year. The police arrested Mishra in the chit fund scam.

The CBI has also framed charges against Green India's four subsidiaries -- Green India Properties Pvt. Ltd., Green India Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd., Green India Retail Pvt. Ltd. and Green India Multi-state Cooperative Pvt. Ltd. -- for defrauding people of about Rs. 30 crore.

The CBI is inquiring into the chit fund scam following an order of the Supreme Court to hold an inquiry into larger conspiracy and money laundering. - IANS