Tatwa scam: BJP accused Odisha CM of shielding tainted ex-AG

Bhubaneswar: With CBI arresting Odisha’s former advocate general Ashok Mohanty for his alleged link with Artha Tatwa Group, a ponzi company involved in the multi-crore chitfund scam, Opposition Congress and BJP today accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of shielding the state’s top law officer.

“There should be no doubt that Patnaik was shielding Mohanty. This is evident from the fact that Patnaik accepted Mohanty’s resignation as AG just a day before his interrogation by CBI,” said state BJP spokesman Suresh Pujari.

Though Mohanty claimed to have submitted his resignation to the chief minister on May 17, 2014 after formation of new government, Patnaik accepted it only on September 12, 2014, a day before his questioning, Pujari pointed out.

Pujari alleged that Mohanty purchased the house of AT Group CMD Pradip Sethi at a time when the chitfund scam accused was shown “absconding” in police file.

“Why Patnaik did not ask Mohanty to resign from the post if he was not shielding the AG,” asked Pujari adding Mohanty remained incommunicado for the police which investigated into the AT Group’s involvement in chitfund scam.

Dubbing Mohanty’s arrest as a “shame” for the state government, senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said “this is not that Ashok Mohanty has been arrested, but the state government’s involvement is now exposed. The state indulged in illegal activities through Ashok Mohanty.”

Stating that state’s BJD government is gradually coming under the grip of CBI, Mohapatra ridiculed Patnaik saying “law is not taking its course in Odisha.”

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Spokesman Sarat Rout also blamed the chief minister for not taking action against Mohanty who purchased a house from AT Group CMD Pradip Sethi when he was allegedly evading police net.

The ruling BJD, however, defended Patnaik’s action. “the Chief Minister was not aware of Mohanty purchasing house from Sethi,” said government chief whip Ananta Das adding Mohanty’s arrest would not tarnish BJD’s image.

BJD spokesman Samir Das said “the chief minister has never allowed any illegality. Mohanty has been arrested not as the AG or as an ex-AG. This would not affect the BJD’s image.”

“Mohanty’s arrest has nothing to do with the government or the state. He will pay the price if he indulged in any illegality,” said BJD leader and former minister Rabi Narayan Nanda.

PTI