The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday demanded a probe into the involvement of actors-turned-politicians belonging to the Biju Janata Dal, who acted in films produced by a chit fund scam accused.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, State BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty said: “Arrest of Prabhas Rout, promoter of Oscar, a money circulation company, revealed as to how hard earned money of people had been wasted in film production. People are suspicious that top actors promoted the cause of Oscar, that swindled huge funds out of chit fund schemes.”
Mr Mohanty said: “The actors-turned-politicians must clarify if they were protecting the interest of producer involved in the chit fund scheme. These actors should be brought under the purview of probe.”
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The State BJP pointed finger at Odia film star Siddhant Mohapatra, sitting BJD MP from Berhampur; Anubhab Mohanty, sitting BJD Rajya Sabha MP; Akash Das Nayak, sitting MLA; and Tatwa Prakash Satapathy, popularly known as Papu Pumpum, who unsuccessfully contested Assembly election on BJD ticket.
Film stars pleaded innocence, saying they were not aware of businesses of Prabhas Rout. “It is absolutely no wrong if an actor acts in a film. But when the BJD gives importance to actors who acted in Oscar-sponsored films, suspicion arises.”
It needs to be mentioned that the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch Police had arrested Prabhas Rout, chairman of Oscar Group of Companies, from New Delhi for allegedly duping investors. The EOW is suspecting that the group was involved in the scam involving Rs.230 crore. The accused was putting up in a temple lodge in New Delhi using fake identity. The firm promoted by Rout was spread across Odisha, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
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