Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has granted interim protection to BJD leader and former Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena in connection with the multi-crore Seashore chit fund scam, one of Odisha’s most high-profile financial fraud cases.
In its order, the court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take any coercive action against Jena until further notice. However, the court also made it clear that the former parliamentarian must cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.
Jena, who has been summoned by the CBI to appear before it on July 14, is under scrutiny for alleged illegal monetary transactions with the Seashore Group, the primary accused in the ponzi scheme that duped thousands of investors across Odisha.
The CBI had previously filed a chargesheet against Jena in a designated court, linking him to the financial irregularities committed by the chit fund company.
A prominent figure in Odisha politics, Jena was elected to the Lok Sabha from Balasore on a BJD ticket in 2014, but lost the seat to BJP leader Pratap Sarangi in the 2019 general elections.
Interestingly, political influence within the Jena family remains strong. His wife, Subasini Jena, was recently elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from the Basta constituency in Balasore on a BJD ticket during the 2024 state elections.
