: The CBI probing the multi-crore chit fund scam examined Pyari Mohan Mohapatra’s bank locker in order to grant him access to it after the Rajya Sabha member put forward a request for the same.
The CBI searched the bank locker belonging to Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra and his daughter. The agency is said to have conducted the search on request of the Rajya Sabha member who wanted to gain accessto it.
In November last year, the CBI had conducted a raid on the house of Mr. Mohapatra and examined his bank accounts and lockers. Since then, the keys had been in the possession of the CBI.
“The CBI had taken away keys of bank lockers after the raid. My wife and daughter were not able to use the jewellery stored in the lockers. I had written to the CBI informing them about this inconvenience. Accordingly, the CBI completed the formalities,” Mr. Mohapatra said.
On November 18 last year, the Enforcement Directorate had quizzed Mr. Mohapatra, who was a very powerful advisor to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik till May 29, 2012 after which he was ousted from the Biju Janata Dal following an attempted coup.
A few days later, the CBI conducted raids on his houses to find out his links with Seashore Group, the tainted ponzi firm.
Mr. Mohapatra had then vehemently denied his role in providing government support to facilitate Seashore’s expansion in Odisha.
Seashore, which was accused of cheating gullible investors by promising high returns on investment, was considered one of the biggest beneficiaries of government patronage.
Since Mr. Mohapatra was at the helm of affairs at the time, Opposition political parties alleged that he had backed the chit fund company.
The firm, which was said to have mopped up around Rs. 1,000 crore of investment in the State, had entered into an agreement with the government for implementing different projects from the tourism sector to food processing.
