Cuttack/Bhubaneswar, Sept. 12: Advocate-general Asok Mohanty today stepped down after the state government accepted his resignation.

The development came amid speculation that the CBI, which is investigating the money deposit collection scam in the state, may speak to Mohanty in connection with the purchase a building in the Cuttack Development Authority area for Rs 1 crore from Artha Tatwa (AT) Group chief Pradeep Sethy in 2012.

Mohanty told The Telegraph: “I had tendered my resignation on May 17. It was accepted today.” He refused to speculate on why the government took nearly four months to accept his resignation. Mohanty had assumed office of the advocate-general on June 10, 2009.

Replying to a specific query Mohanty said: “There is nothing to hide about the property bought from Pradeep Sethy. It’s a part of public domain.”

The CBI today continued its interrogation of Sanjay Behera, son of Odisha Cricket Association secretary Ashirbad Behera, to ascertain his links with the AT Group. Sources said Sanjay was questioned regarding his involvement in the first edition of the Odisha Premier League (OPL).

The CBI had found a number of franchise owners in the tournament to have close links with the group. Sources said both Bikash Swain and Ranjan Das, who are in the CBI custody, owned two franchises in the OPL. Besides, the two real estate owners also owned teams in the tournament.

The CBI raided Ashirbad Behera’s office on August 16 and seized some documents. In the wake of the raid, Behera had admitted that the group had given Rs 1 crore to the cricketing body for the sponsorship of OPL and the visit of the senior cricket team to Australia.

Earlier this week, the CBI had interrogated two franchise owners of the OPL apart from the accountant of the association. “We will interrogate other franchise owners to find out their links with Sethy and the group,” said a CBI official.

Ever since the CBI took over the case with the AT group in the focus, there has been intense speculation about Sethy’s links with BJD politicians.

The CBI today continued its interrogation of Madhu Mohanty, owner of a vernacular newspaper, for his alleged links with Sethy. A broker, who was to facilitate a land deal between the group and Balabantaray was also subjected to questioning. During his interrogation, Sethy had said the MLA had taken Rs 20 lakh from the group to sell his land at Jayadev Vihar but did not keep his promise.