Priti Bhatia in CBI custody in Bhubaneswar on Friday. Picture by Ashwine Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 10: The CBI today arrested Mumbai-based model and television soap producer Priti Bhatia for her alleged links with Artha Tatwa Group, a money deposit conglomerate.

The special CBI court today allowed the agency to take Priti in a four-day remand.

Priti, who is in her 30s, appeared before the investigating agency yesterday for the fourth time in past 18 days and was taken into CBI custody after a day-long interrogation.

An official said funds from the group were diverted to her personal account and that of her relative and the company without valid reasons.

“As she could not give satisfactory answer or produce valid documents about such transactions despite being given ample time and several rounds of interrogations, she was arrested this morning,” said the official.

Earlier, the CBI had summoned Priti thrice and quizzed the model for her alleged links with the company and its chief Pradeep Sethy. The group has reportedly swindled Rs 500 crore from investors, who include people from various sections of the society.

She, however, denied all allegations against her. “I am telling everybody that I am not involved in the stupid deposit collection scam,” she said.

Priti had appeared before the investigating team first on September 23. Sources said she had set up a company called Prism Heights Films & Entertainment Private Limited with Sethy. Another investor in the company is one Indu Dewan, whose identity is yet to be ascertained.

According to the documents provided by Priti, it was found that the company was registered with the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai, in January 2010. While the registered office of the company is located at Tilak Road in Santa Cruz (west), its Bhubaneswar address has been given as Bishnupriya Apartment, Jayadev Vihar.

Sources said Sethy had invested money in Priti’s company and the latter misappropriated the funds. Failing to refund the money, she made Sethy, one of the directors of the company.