Fearing Police Step, Ponzi Firm Refunds Depositor’s Money - Behrampur

The CBI crackdown on big chit fund companies seems to have its impact on the small firms in the business. Fearing action, a Berhampur-based private financing firm, Sunlight Future Bright Marketing Private Limited, has returned money to one of its depositors a few days back.

The depositor Dhiren Sahu, a physically challenged youth, had invested Rs 1.2 lakh in the chit fund firm hoping to earn handsome returns before his sister’s marriage. The firm had promised to double the amount within two years.

Sahu deposited the money in January, 2012 and the firm had promised to pay Rs 2.4 lakh to him on maturity.

As his sister’s marriage was fixed in February this year, he approached the firm to collect the promised return. But the firm officials did not pay him the amount.

After his sister’s marriage, Sahu approached the firm again but was returned without payment. A lawyer RH Pattanaik, who came to know about Sahu’s plight, submitted a grievance to Economic Offence Wing, Bhubaneswar, which sent a letter to Berhampur SP asking him to look into the matter. As this too yielded no result, Sahu last month lodged a written complaint with Badabazaar police. Here also, no action came forth.

The local police, however, informed Sahu that the firm owner was absconding. Meanwhile, the firm owner, Sunil Kumar Patra, shifted his office from Sriramnagar to Housing Board.

However, after the news appeared in this paper, Patra contacted Sahu and paid him the matured amount of Rs 2.4 lakh.

Though Sahu was lucky to get back his money, it remains to be seen if the firm refunds the money of its other depositors.



Source : The New Indian Express , 24th Nov 2014