Bhubaneswar: International chess player, grand master Padmini Rout along with her mother deposed before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its office in IRC village area in connection with the multi crore chit fund scam Friday evening .The ED sleuths reportedly grilled her for about an hour.
Earlier, she had been served notice to appear before the ED August 8 for interrogation. However, she failed to appear as she was in Abu Dhabi for an international tournament.
The ED reportedly questioned her over the her links with the firm Star ConsultancyLimited Company which was among 44 others currently under the scanner of CBI and ED for duping investors of crores under various chit fund schemes. According to her father, Ashok Rout, ED sleuths asked her how she had come to know about the firm or whether she had received any money from the company during chess championships. She was also asked to produce a copy of the MoU signed between the company and her and the related brochures, her father said.
Minor Padmini’s father signed an MoU on her behalf with the sham company regarding sponsoring her in various chess tournaments post her win in the coveted World under-14 girls’ championship in 2008.
The company allegedly agreed to bear cost of her coaching and participation in open international tournaments during period 2008-2011.Earlier, her father had also deposed before the ED over his connections with the company. Ashok was director of the Star Yogic Resorts Limited (SYRL) that was created by Star Consultancy owner Triveni Mohanty. She had promised the investors to avail them land through SYRL.
Earlier, several investors also alleged that Ashok took active part in luring a number of gullible people to invest in the Star Consultancy Company Limited. They accused him of getting a large chunk of the scam money.