Businessman Satyabrata Dhir arrives at Kharavela Nagar police station for questioning. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 4: The Odisha government today started a probe into the functioning of 15 multi-state co-operative companies operating in the state after the Centre asked it to look into the financial irregularities committed by them.

Co-operation minister Bikram Keshari Arukh said: “Two teams have been formed for supervising detailed inspection of books of accounts and other documents of these companies.”

Around 15 audit squads will assist these two teams and crack the business details of these companies.

The Centre has stepped in as these organisations are operating in various states, including Odisha. To facilitate the inspection, the Union government has authorised the state’s registrar of co-operative societies to conduct a detailed inspection of books of accounts and other documents of these companies.

The multi-state co-operative firms, which are under the lens, are Artha Tatwa Multi-State Credit Co-Operative Society, Green India Multi State Members’ Credit Co-Operative Society, Swastik India Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Mideast Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Jansahayog Sahakari Credit Society Limited, Specimens Multi- Purpose Co-Operative Society Limited, Sai Gayatri Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Utkal Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Sai Kishore Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Sunraj Multi State Multipurpose Co-Operative Society, Evos Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society, Microf Finance Credit Co-Operative Society, Vista Credit Co-Operative Society and SLB Multi State Credit Co-Operative Society.

Most of these companies, including Artha Tatwa Group, are already being probed by the state police following allegations of cheating.

In another development, city police today summoned 11 people to find out their business links with deposit collection company Artha Tatwa. The company is alleged to have swindled about Rs 700 crores from the investors.

Out of the 11 summoned for questioning today, eight people turned up. Almost all of them told the cops that the Artha Tatwa Group owes them money. But the police are trying to find out why they did not lodge a complaint if they were cheated by the group.

Deputy commissioner of police Nitinjit Singh said: “We have questioned the people. If required, we will again summon them for investigation. More people will turn up for questioning tomorrow.”

Sources said Odisha Cricket Association secretary Ashirbad Behera was likely to be questioned by the police tomorrow. Summons have already been served on him.

Executive editor and chairman-cum-managing director of a vernacular newspaper Bikash Swain said: “We have got around Rs 60 lakh towards advertisements from the Artha Tatwa Group. We are yet to get another Rs 65 lakh from them.”

Manoj Das, who earlier owned a TV channel, said: “The Artha Tatwa Group had inked an agreement with our group to start at least six channels using our teleport. He had given us Rs 90 lakh for this purpose. But, he did not turn up to avail the facilities.”

Satyabrata Dhir, a builder, said: “The Artha Tatwa Group had booked around 13 flats in a few of our projects.”

In another related development, the crime branch today sealed a 3,000sqft guesthouse owned by Seashore Group at Patrapada here. The property’s value is estimated at Rs 1 crore.

To put pressure on the government, the BJP today launched its five-day state-wide agitation on the fraudulent activities of the deposit collection companies.

They also burnt the effigies of chief minister Naveen Patntik for not handing over the case to the CBI for investigation.