Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's personal aide Saroj Sahu appears before CBI

Saroj Sahu, personal aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, appeared at the CBI office here apparently for questioning by the central agency which is probing into the multi-crore chitfund scam.
Sahu, who looks after works in Patnaik's residence 'Naveen Niwas' and also the ruling BJD, said he had reached the CBI office after being summoned by the agency.

"I am here (CBI office) after getting a phone call from them. I don't know why they have called me," Sahu told reporters while entering the CBI building.

Sahu's appearance before the CBI sleuths in the midst of the ongoing probe into the multi-crore chitfund scam is seen by many as a major embarrassment for the chief minister as he happens to be a close aide of Patnaik.

Patnaik has been categorically stating that neither the BJD nor his government had any involvement in the chit-fund scam.

Sahu's signature even figures in statements and press releases issued by the BJD, sources said adding he coordinates the CM's programmes and mostly operates from Naveen Niwas.

While Sahu claimed ignorance about the reason behind CBI calling him, sources said the investigators wanted to interrogate him on the basis of certain information obtained during the grilling of broker Subhankar Nayak, who had been arrested by the central agency on November 18 in connection with the ponzi scheme scandal.