I am a victim of chit fund scam too: Odisha CM Mohan Majhi
Bhubaneswar, Dec 24: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday claimed that he was also a victim of chit fund scams and urged people to be aware of the activities of ponzi firms to save their hard-earned money.
Majhi said this while addressing a function to celebrate the State Level National Consumers Day here. "I was also a victim of chit fund scams. Two firms had duped me in 1990 and 2002," the chief minister said, adding that he could not get back his money as the process of recovering the money was too cumbersome and too lengthy.
Claiming that he lost the investment in two ponzi firms, the chief minister said he was influenced by the sweet talks made by the firm agents and arranged money to deposit in certain schemes. "However, when the maturity period came, I could not find the companies where money was deposited," he said.
The chief minister said there has been a lot of change now as the Centre has formulated and strengthened regulations to stop cheating and duping of consumers.
The CM praised the BJP-led central government for amending the Chit Funds Act, 1982, in 2019, to ensure transparency in chit fund schemes. He mentioned that the amended legislation addressed the loopholes in the previous Act.
In Odisha, around 70 lakh people were allegedly duped by ponzi firms. Following a Supreme Court order in May 2014, the CBI investigated at least 44 companies, including Kolkata-based Saradha Group and Odisha-based Seashore and Artha Tatwa groups. These ponzi firms reportedly collected around Rs 4,600 crore from people in the state over four years.
Before the 2014 general elections, the then BJD government led by Naveen Patnaik formed a commission and set up a Rs 300 crore corpus fund to refund the duped small depositors. The commission, headed by Justice MM Das, identified around 1 lakh small depositors who lost Rs 10,000 or less.
In response to a written question in the Assembly, Majhi informed that around 2 lakh small investors had already received their money back.
Jayant Das, convenor of the Odisha Khytigratha Jamakari Milita Manch, criticised the state government for not taking measures to refund money to depositors duped by different ponzi firms, despite the ruling BJP’s election promise to refund the chit fund-affected people within 18 months.
However, Housing and Urban Development Minister KC Mohapatra assured that the BJP government would keep its promise and that the depositors would get their money back in the coming days.
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UP: Govt hospital staff booked for sexually assaulting woman in pretext of ultrasound test
Gorakhpur (PTI): A hospital employee was booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in the pretext of an ultrasound test here in the district women's hospital, police said on Saturday.
According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of the Gulriha area, visited the district women's hospital on Thursday morning for an ultrasound test.
She was directed to a room, where Abhimanyu Gupta was conducting ultrasounds. When her turn came, the accused allegedly stared at her and told her to remove all her clothes, claiming it was necessary for the test and that a massage would also be required, she said.
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The woman alleged that once she complied, the accused began making obscene advances and tried to force himself on her. When she screamed, he allegedly gagged her, abused her and threatened to kill her before pushing her out of the room.
She said her complaints within the hospital went unheard, forcing her to approach the police.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the hospital administration constituted a three-member inquiry committee, officials said.
Senior consultant (paediatrics) Dr Jay Kumar said, "The woman has levelled serious allegations against a staff member. Senior officials have been informed, and a departmental inquiry is underway. Strict action will be taken if the charges are proved."
Kotwali Station House Officer Chatrapal Singh said a case has been registered, and efforts are on to nab the accused.
