Bhubaneswar, June 19: BJD vice-president Damodar Rout today warned of stringent action if any BJD member was found involved in the Oscar group scam even as the ruckus over certain film-stars having alleged links with the firm grew.
Several Odia film-stars, including BJD Lok Sabha MP Siddhant Mahapatra, Rajya Sabha MP Anubhav Mohanty and BJD's candidate from Champua constituency Pappu Pom Pom, are under the scanner for their alleged links with the Oscar group, which is said to have duped investors of around Rs 230 crore.
"We did not invite the film-stars. They applied through others to join the party. We took them thinking they were crowd pullers, but if the allegations levelled against any of them is true, we will expel him from the party," Rout, who is also state excise minister, said.
However, school and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra asked the Opposition parties to come up with facts and not make allegations on the basis of mere speculation. Actor Anubhav today reacted to the issue for the first time. "The allegations are baseless and the media is playing up the issue. It is impossible to ascertain the source of money of any person. . I am ready to face any probe and will co-operate with the investigating agency," said Mohanty, who has been silent over the issue since the chairman of Oscar group, Pravas Chandra Rout, was arrested on June 9.
Mohanty played the lead role in two of the four movies produced by the Oscar Group.
Film star and BJD MLA Akash Das Nayak said: "I don't have any links with any money deposit collection firm. I have never acted in any movie produced by any Ponzi firm nor made any financial transactions with them. A proper inquiry should be made and the real culprits booked. Union minister Babul Supriyo sang for two movies of the Oscar group. Does this indicate he had links with the group?" asked Das Nayak.
On Friday, a group of 15 investors from Gujarat and Maharashtra had alleged that several Odia actors, including Uttam Mohanty, actress Archita and Pappu Pom Pom, had persuaded them to invest in the Ponzi firm during their stage shows.
While Mohanty and Pappu Pom Pom have denied the allegations, Archita did so today. "I have no links with the Oscar group, nor have I performed any stage shows by the group nor encouraged anyone to invest in the group," she said.
