BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has spent over Rs 4 crore on the Commission of Inquiry on chit fund scam which has so far submitted four interim reports. Finance Minister Sashibhusan Behera informed this in written replies to three separate questions from BJP MLA Dilip Ray in this regard. Behera said the Commission has been given extension 14 times. Though the State Government had created a corpus fund of Rs 300 crore four years back to compensate depositors who were duped by chit fund companies, not a single affected person has received money from it so far, he said.
The State Government had set up the RK Patra Inquiry Commission in July, 2013 which was mandated to submit report within three months. The Commission was given extension three times. After his demise, retired Justice MM Das was given the responsibility of the panel in February, 2015 with a time limit of six months. However, the Commission has been given extension nine times for 42 months.
The Minister said 662 criminal cases were filed against 266 illegal finance companies between 2010 to March, 2018. So far 412 chargesheets have been filed, Behera said and added that 850 persons arrested and eight sentenced by different courts. As per the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial establishments) Act, 41 cases have been filed in designated courts for seizure of movable and immovable property of 41 companies. Out of these, 24 cases are sub judice and orders for seizure of property have been given in rest of the cases.