Kendrapara, Aug. 25: Around 250 investors, who were allegedly duped by a deposit collection company, today staged a dharna near the district collector’s office demanding the arrest of the accused BJD zilla parishad member, Deepak Behera.

A.M.F Financial Services Private Limited, the company accused of duping investors, operated from Pattamundai. The company authorities allegedly decamped with almost Rs 3 crore invested in the firm by depositors.

Behera and his family members owned the company, said Bantaparana village resident Santilata Panda, who deposited Rs 1 lakh two years ago.

“The firm, which operated from a rented place at Patttamundai town, promised to give monthly interest of Rs 3,000 against a deposit of Rs 1 lakh. However, Behera and his associates suddenly locked the company and fled from the village in September, 2012,” said Santosh Behera, another depositor.

Sub-collector of Kendrapara Pratap Chandra Mishra said: “Around 250 customers had filed complaint against Behera and other employees of the private finance company two years ago. The police forwarded the case to the economic offence control wing of the crime branch.”

When asked, inspector in-charge of Pattamundai police station Tarini Das said: “Behera is absconding. We are conducting raids to nab him.”