CBI examines bizman Panja in chit fund case

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday examined businessman Shibaji Panja in connection with the chit fund cases it is probing on orders from the Supreme Court of India, sources here said.

Panja, who has previously come under the probe agency's scanner in connection with the chit fund cases had allegedly organised several exhibitions, where chit fund company owners including Saradha had bought paintings from, they said. Speaking to the Millennium Post, sources in the know added that Panja was being examined to find out more about his connection to Angel Agritech, another chit fund company that swindled unknowing members of the public of more than Rs 300 crore. The probe agency has been investigating the sale of these paintings and where the money to purchase them originated from. The CBI had in December 2018, seized around 20 such paintings bought by chit fund companies, doubting whether they were purchased to enrich art collections or as a way to continue operating.

The paintings were reportedly worth between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The probe agency has also been looking into how the money from the sale of these paintings was utilised, given that they were sold at exhibition arranged by Panja.

This new development in the chit fund cases comes after the CBI has been grilling former Kolkata top-cop Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha case. Te CBI had alleged that as head of the SIT, intially entrusted with the case, he and his team members might have allegedly been involved in some form of evidence tampering.