Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of State Crime Branch is likely to question Bollywood actor Govinda in connection with a Rs 1,000 crore pan-India online Ponzi scam.
According to the EOW, a company named Solar Techno Alliance (STA), which had its presence in several countries across the globe operated an online ponzi scheme under the pretence of crypto currency investment.
The ponzi firm collected deposits without any authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) worth around Rs 1,000 crore from over 2 lakh people all over India. The company has collected a total of Rs 30 crore from 10,000 people in Bhadrak, Keonjhar, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Bhubaneswar of Odisha.
“Bollywood actor Govinda attended an event of the STA in Goa on July 30. So, in this connection, we will question him. We will either send him a notice or send a special team to Mumbai for questioning,” said EOW DSP Sasmita Sahu on Thursday.
At present investigation is on and we will ascertain Govinda’s role and why he had gone to the event, she said.
The EOW has arrested three accused in the case including Gurtej Sigh Sidhu, the India head of ‘STA Crypto token’. It was suspected that Gurtej Sigh Sidhu had called Govinda to the event to influence the investors, the DSP said.
Apart from Sidhu, the EOW had also arrested Nirod Das of Bhadrak who is the Odisha head of STA and Ratnakar Palai, an up-line member of STA.