The Commissionerate Police on Wednesday sought fresh remand of Artha Tatwa (AT) Group chief Pradip Sethi in the light of new findings that emerged from quizzing of a host of people during the investigation.
The police have, so far, quizzed 11 out of 22 persons who were served summons and submitted their versions. Of the realtors, mediapersons and businessmen who appeared before the police in the last 36 hours, five turned up on Wednesday. Police said it would like to confront Sethi with the new findings as well as the people who submitted their versions with new information about their business dealings with Sethi.
Apart from Sethi, his second-in-command Manoj Patnaik and finance head Srikrushna Panda will also be brought on remand for the same period. “We have submitted the petition before the court and are hopeful of securing fresh remand so that we can cross-check the information provided to us during the last two days,” Inspector of Kharavela Nagar police station Manoj Samanta said.
Earlier, Sethi’s chartered accountant Manoj Agarwal and two builders, Sudhansu Patnaik and Dilip Badjena, turned up to submit their versions. Later, Odisha Cricket Association secretary Ashirbad Behera and proprietor of Odisha Bhaskar Madhu Mohanty gave their versions.
Patnaik, police said, was in an agreement with Sethi’s company for a housing project since January 2011. Arohana, the project in Patia area of the city, necessitated ` 37 cr for which the AT Group chief had made a commitment. However, Sethi later scaled down the commitment and paid ` 3.25 cr to Patnaik for just one block comprising 23 flats. With no further financial commitment coming in, Patnaik apparently cancelled the deal and returned the funds.
The realtor told police that he paid back in cheques and received a final settlement certificate. He has been asked to produce the details in document form. On the contrary, Sethi had told police that Patnaik had paid him back just half the funds.
Another builder, Dilip Badjena of Patia area, had also got into an agreement with Sethi’s company in February last year for a project called Prestige Mansion in Balabhadrapur in Botanda under Airfield Police limits. Sethi had committed for a joint venture in which he wanted nine flats. He had paid ` 1.10 cr to Badjena for the deal. This too was cancelled but it is yet to be ascertained if the cash was returned to Sethi. Police said it would cross-check these facts with Sethi by confronting him with these people.
Behera told the police that Sethi had paid ` 1 cr to OCA towards sponsorship fees for Odisha Premier League as well as Ranji Trophy. If the police or government can return the money to investors, he is ready to give it back.
Mohanty said his paper had received ` 65 lakh towards advertisement publication for which he has all the receipts and documents to back.
Meanwhile, Agarwal, the CA who worked as a consultant for the AT Group, has agreed to be the prosecution witness in the case.
