EOW Officials arrest Vista Group Director; raid APICOL Office

Bhubaneswar, May 21: After arresting managing director Deb Kumar Panda of Vista Management Services Ltd on May 17, today the officials of Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Crime Branch arrested Bijay Swain, a director of the firm, from Bhubaneswar.

Crime Branch ADG BK Sharma said officials conducted raids at various places in Bhawanipatna and Bolangir, where the firm duped investors of Rs.50 crore. On May 17, the managing director of this firm was held by crime branch officials at Bhubaneswar Railway Station while Panda was leaving for Vishakhapatnam to catch flight to Singapore. Police has been investing the chit fund scam case taking Panda into three-day remand.

According to media reports, like the Seahore-APICOL links, Vista chit fund company also had entered into a deal with APICOL, Odisha Government owned-unit, for setting up an Agro Services Centre at Bantala village in Khurda district.

The crime branch officials conducted search operation at APICOL office in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. And, EOW officials have been continuing the raid at the office, till the report is filed.