Investors gather outside the circuit house in Balasore on Thursday. Telegraph picture

Balasore, May 2: Many investors and agents affected by Saradha Realty Limited congregated today in the Circuit House here as the Economic Offence Wing of the crime branch police continued its probe for the third day.

The investors, agents and investor-cum-agents were from various parts mainly of north Odisha.

Old people and women with their kids were seen waiting outside the circuit house building for hours together in the scorching heat to appear before the investigating team.

Most of them said they wanted the money refunded from the company to fulfil their essential needs such as higher education, marriage and house construction.

A five-member team, headed by additional superintendent of police Gopabandhu Pati, has begun its probe in Balasore since Tuesday.

Earlier, the state government had ordered an investigation by the crime branch after receiving complaints from the investors.

A huge rush was witnessed today in the building and it was apparently a chaos in front of the room where the statements of the affected persons were being recorded.

“Since the number of affected persons is high, it may take some time to complete the task. However, we would record the compliant of everyone before leaving this place,” said Pati. Apart from recording the affected persons’ statements, the team is also making seizure of original documents, including bonds and certificates issued by the Bengal-based fraud deposit collection company that had been operating in Balasore since 2010.

“There is a huge rush, and it is almost difficult to control the crowd. Today, the process would go on till night,” said an investigating officer.

“There are persons, who have invested in more than one schemes of the company, and others, who actually do not know about scheme of their investments,” he said.