Ex-OCA secretary Ashirbad Behera arrested in AT ponzi fraud

Bhubaneswar: In a major development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday morning arrested former Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) Secretary Ashirbad Behera for his alleged complicity in the Artha Tattwa chit fund fraud case. According to reports, a CBI team conducted raids on Behera’s house in Cuttack and arrested him at about 6 am. Earlier, the CBI had filed an interim charge-sheet in the case involving Behera. Behera had been interrogated six times by the Central investigation agency. According to reports, Behera would undergo a health check-up first and would be produced in the Special CBI Court. Behera was allegedly arrested for his complicity in the investment of Rs 1 crore in the Odisha Premier League by the fraud Artha Tattwa chit fund firm a few years back. Meanwhile, Behera’s son Sanjay Behera termed the action as a conspiracy against his father ahead of OCA elections. Sanjay Behera lamented saying that his father was not summoned before a court warrant issued against him. “OCA election is coming for which nominations will be filed tomorrow. Arrest of my father is a conspiracy,” said Sanjay, who will file nominations for the OCA secretary post. He said the conspiracy of the opponents will not work as he will fine nominations and will win as OCA secretary in a big margin. However, he didn’t name opponents behind the conspiracy.