Odisha's ex-AG Ashok Mohanty arrested in chit fund scam

Bhubaneswar: CBI today arrested Odisha’s former advocate general Ashok Mohanty for alleged links with Artha Tatwa Group, a ponzi company accused of duping investors of crores of rupees in the state.

Mohanty was picked up from his residence in Cuttack, sources said adding the former advocate general was immediately taken to hospital for medical check up. “Truth will ultimately come out. God and guru are my witnesses. As per my conscience, I have not committed any wrong,” Mohanty told reporters while being taken inside CBI’s state headquarters here.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had accepted Mohanty’s resignation as the AG just a day before his interrogation by the CBI here on September 13.

Mohanty had claimed that he has no link with Artha Tatwa Group other than purchasing a house from its CMD Pradip Sethi. The former advocate general also claimed to have showed bank documents to CBI officials in regard to payment. However, he was arrested exactly 10 days after his interrogation. Earlier, Mohanty had denied allegation that he received a house in Cuttack from AT Group as a gift. “I haven’t got it free. I have paid Sethi Rs 1,01,00,000 (one crore and one lakh) by cheque through my lone SBI bank account. I have handed over all papers to the CBI,” he said.

Meanwhile, a local court here today deferred hearing on the bail application of Manoj Dash, the owner of a private television channel, till September 24. Dash was in judicial custody for his alleged involvement with AT Group.

Dash had allegedly taken Rs 90 lakh from AT Group CMD Pradip Sethi for leasing out bandwidth for operating six television channels in the tele ports owned by him. On the other hand, Sethi had claimed during interrogation by the CBI that Dash had taken the money as a loan from him and had not returned it.

PTI