Bhubaneswar, Nov. 9: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today sought to distance the party and the government from the BJD leaders being questioned by the CBI in connection with the money-deposit collection scam.

“It’s a matter of individuals and nothing to do with the party or the government,” he said, adding that the law would take its own course.

For the first time since the CBI took over investigation of money deposit-collection scam in the state, Naveen today indicated that he was aware of the views of a section of his party members about central agency’s investigation being politically motivated.

“A number of people think that, yes,” quipped Naveen when asked to react to the statements of some of his party leaders who have accused the CBI of acting vindictively against BJD politicians.

One of the most prominent BJD leaders to have targeted the CBI was Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who alleged that the central agency was out to destroy the reputation of prominent people and was acting out of vendetta.

The CBI has so far arrested three party leaders, including sitting MP Ram Chandra Hansdah and sitting MLA Pravat Tripathy. Former party MLA from Keonjhar Subarna Nayak was also arrested by the central agency last week.