Ponzi scam: Odisha court grants 3-day remand of Bengal journalist

Bhubaneswar: The Special Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Odisha capital today permitted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take Suman Chattopadhyay, editor of a leading Bengali daily, on remand for three days in connection with the I-Core Group chit fund scam.

The agency had yesterday arrested Chattopadhyay and he was produced before the court here today. Chattopadhyay had allegedly received money in his bank accounts from the chit fund firm, the agency’s spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said.

The company had mobilised funds, mainly in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, through its ponzi schemes that promised returns at rates much higher than those prevailing in the market.

Chattopadhyay, also a director in Disha Productions and Media Private Limited (DPMPL), was arrested after several hours of questioning at the agency’s office at the CGO complex in Kolkata in a case registered against the I-Core Group.

“The investigation has revealed that funds collected illegally by the I-Core Group were allegedly diverted in the accounts of DPMPL as well as personal account of Chattopadhyay,” the spokesperson said.