BHUBANESWAR: Interrogation of Bikash Swain, currently in custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has revealed that the Odia newsdaily owner did try his best to show how well connected he was among the high and mighty before he was arrested on Friday.
Swain, who enjoyed strong political connection, flexed his muscles by telling the interrogators that he has ‘friends’ in the investigation agency itself. He is also alleged to have told them that he even met some of the senior officers of the CBI in recent times and did name-dropping during his quizzing but nothing cut ice with the CBI officers.
His audacious claims come at a time when the investigation agency is embroiled in controversy over its Director Ranjit Sinha finding himself under Supreme Court scanner for allegedly meeting people accused in the 2G scam. Interestingly, several functions organised by Swain’s newspaper in the past were attended by former directors of CBI as well as the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Sources said, Swain even told the CBI sleuths that he was close to some of the senior police officers of the State while many ruling political party leaders enjoyed close rapport with him.
In fact, Artha Tatwa Group chief Pradeep Sethi had claimed that he had invested Rs 1.67 crore in an advertising agency in which two ruling party leaders - a debutante minister and a first time MLA - had business interests and Swain had played the part of facilitator.
The advertisement agency had issued commercials to various media houses on behalf of AT Group.