BHUBANESWAR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested the Chairman-and-Managing Director of Nabadiganta Capital Services Pvt Ltd and two directors of the company for duping investors to the tune of several crores of rupees.
However, three political leaders, including ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s Mayurbhanj MP Rama Chandra Hansda and two former MLAs __ who were under investigation for being on the company’s Board of Directors in the past __ have managed to escape action. For the time being, at least.
Earlier in the day, the probe agency quizzed Hansda as well as former legislators Subarna Naik and Hitesh Kumar Bagarti, before subjecting Anjan Baliarsingh, CMD of Nabadiganta, and the two directors, Kartikeya Parida and Pradipta Patnaik, to sustained interrogation.
While the three political leaders continued to deny any involvement in the company’s financial and administrative affairs, they pointed finger at Baliarsingh and other Directors for the illegal activities. They said they had put in their papers as Directors in 2012, but the resignations were accepted only in 2013.
The three pleaded innocence stating that they were vehemently pursued by Baliarsingh for taking up the Directors’ post in the company which they had joined when it was a private corporate entity. Asserting that none of them received any remuneration from the company, the trio said they were only “token” Directors with no say or function in the financial affairs.
Bagarti was the vocal of the three and said he never evinced interest in Nabadiganta but was doggedly pursued by Baliarsingh, who managed to convince him at the end. “I had told him that I have no time nor can I discharge functions of a Director. But he and another Director, Raj Kishore Jena, just did not budge and assured that they would take care of everything,” he told mediapersons.
The former BJP legislator said he had invested `3 lakh in the company but got nothing in return. He claimed to have filed a case with Company Law Board, Kolkata. He also alleged that his signature in the documents, when the company went public, was forged.
Naik, a former MLA of Keonjhar Sadar from Biju Janata Dal, said he came in contact with Baliarsingh while buying insurance policies when the latter worked with HDFC.
He also toed Bagarti’s line stating that he too was brainwashed into joining the company under the impression that it was into construction business.
“After the company went public and deposits were mobilised, I immediately resigned in July 2012, but my resignation was accepted only in 2013,” he said.
Hansda, on his part, maintained that he had purchased bonds worth `3 lakh from Nabadiganta like any other investor, but never benefited as a Director.
He also put the blame on Baliarsingh and Jena for the entire mess.
Nabadiganta Capital Services Pvt Ltd was the last of the chit fund companies to have come under the scope of investigation.
In May, a case was lodged with Nayapalli Police Station against the firm, but probe could not be taken up by local police since CBI was already entrusted with investigation of the scam.