Bhubaneswar : The BJP on Saturday demanded the arrest of film actor-turned-BJD leaders for alleged involvement with the Oscar chit fund company which has allegedly duped people of Rs 230 crore.
After the arrest of Oscar chit fund firm chairman Prabhas Rout from New Delhi on Thursday, the BJP sought the arrest of BJD MPs Siddhant Mahapatra and Anubhav Mohanty, MLA Akash Das Nayak besides Tatwa Prakash Satapathy (also known as Papu Pom Pom).
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Odisha Vice President Samir Mohanty said the actors had cheated the people of the state in the guise of politics. Apparently, investors have also been duped in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
He said Mahapatra and Mohanty had promoted the Oscar Group at various programmes. The actors had also acted in several Odia films produced by Rout.
Responding to the allegations, Biju Janata Dal MLA and actor Akash Dasnayak said: “How does an actor know if dubious money is used to produce a film?”
He said action should be taken against those involved in the chit fund scam.
Satapathy said: “How would I know that a company has cheated people? I acted in his films when there was no allegation against the company.”
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has taken Rout on a five-day remand for further inquiry. Crime Branch sources said notice would be issued to some actors to know about their involvement with the chit fund company.