CBI arrests absconding accused in ₹17 crore Odisha chit fund scam
Synopsis
The CBI tracked down Debabrata Dutta — declared an absconder in 2022 and wanted under a Non-Bailable Warrant since August 2024 — to Siliguri, cracking open a ₹17 crore chit fund fraud that victimised depositors across Odisha. The arrest is part of a wider CBI drive that has now netted multiple long-fugitive accused within weeks.
Key Takeaways
Debabrata Dutta , former proprietor of DNB Food Processing Private Limited , was arrested by the CBI from Siliguri, West Bengal on 29 August 2025 .
Dutta allegedly misappropriated more than ₹17 crore from depositors in an Odisha chit fund scam .
He was declared an absconder in a chargesheet filed on 26 December 2022 ; a Non-Bailable Warrant was issued on 5 August 2024 .
In a separate case, the CBI arrested proclaimed offender Roop Singh on 21 August 2025 after he absconded for nearly 23 years in a ₹9 lakh goods-misappropriation case from 1998 .
Co-accused Arjun Singh in the same 1998 case had been arrested on 7 November 2025 after nearly 22 years on the run.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested an absconding accused in a ₹17 crore chit fund fraud in Odisha, nabbing Debabrata Dutta — former proprietor of DNB Food Processing Private Limited — from Siliguri, West Bengal on Friday, 29 August 2025. Dutta had allegedly misappropriated funds belonging to thousands of depositors and had been evading investigators for years.
Key Developments in the Arrest
The CBI confirmed that Dutta was traced through source-based intelligence before being apprehended in Siliguri. He is being brought to Bhubaneswar on transit remand and will be produced before the competent court there, the agency said.
Dutta had previously refused to cooperate with investigators. He was formally declared an absconder in a chargesheet filed on 26 December 2022, which charged him under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes Banning Act, 1978. A Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) was subsequently issued against him on 5 August 2024.
Background: The Odisha Chit Fund Fraud
The case is part of a broader pattern of chit fund scams in Odisha that have ensnared thousands of small depositors over the years. Dutta's firm, DNB Food Processing Private Limited, allegedly collected funds from the public under fraudulent pretences, with more than ₹17 crore reportedly misappropriated. The CBI has been pursuing multiple accused in such cases across the state.
Separate Case: 23-Year Fugitive Arrested
In a separate matter, the CBI on 21 August 2025 arrested a Proclaimed Offender who had been absconding for nearly 23 years. Roop Singh was arrested after sustained efforts by the agency in connection with a 1998 case involving the criminal misappropriation of goods — including ghee and mung — worth ₹9 lakh, loaded in two trucks and intended for delivery to customers.
The original case was registered on 4 October 1998 at Amalner Police Station in Maharashtra. Two truck drivers, Babu Khan and Aslam Khan, were alleged to have stolen and misappropriated the goods on 27 September 1998. The High Court of Judicature of Bombay at Aurangabad, vide its order dated 25 February 2002, directed the transfer of the investigation to the CBI.
The CBI re-registered the case on 5 April 2002 and filed a chargesheet on 19 December 2003 before the Court of the JMFC at Amalner against Roop Singh, Arjun Singh, Babu Khan, and Aslam Khan for offences including criminal misappropriation, conspiracy, and abetment. Co-accused Arjun Singh had earlier been arrested on 7 November 2025 after remaining absconding for nearly 22 years.
What Happens Next
Dutta will face judicial proceedings in Bhubaneswar, where the court will determine custody and the pace of trial. The back-to-back arrests signal a renewed CBI push to close out long-pending absconder cases. Both matters underscore the agency's capacity to pursue fugitives across state lines and across decades.
Point of View
The NBW issued in 2024, and the accused was operating freely until now. Odisha's chit fund ecosystem has victimised depositors for decades, and the CBI's intermittent arrest drives, while welcome, do not substitute for the speedier trials that actual restitution requires. The parallel 23-year-fugitive case in Maharashtra makes the same point more starkly: the gap between chargesheet and custody remains a structural weakness in India's financial-fraud enforcement chain.
NationPress
30 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Debabrata Dutta and why was he arrested?
Debabrata Dutta is the former proprietor of DNB Food Processing Private Limited, arrested by the CBI for allegedly misappropriating more than ₹17 crore from depositors in an Odisha chit fund scam. He had been declared an absconder in a chargesheet filed on 26 December 2022 and was arrested from Siliguri, West Bengal on 29 August 2025.
What charges does Debabrata Dutta face?
Dutta faces charges under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes Banning Act, 1978. The CBI chargesheet was filed in December 2022, and a Non-Bailable Warrant was issued against him in August 2024.
What happens to Dutta after his arrest?
Dutta is being brought to Bhubaneswar on transit remand from Siliguri and will be produced before the competent court there, according to the CBI. The court will decide on his custody and the next steps in the trial.
Who is Roop Singh and what is his connection to the CBI?
Roop Singh is a Proclaimed Offender arrested by the CBI on 21 August 2025 after absconding for nearly 23 years. He was charged in a 1998 case involving the criminal misappropriation of goods worth ₹9 lakh from trucks in Maharashtra, with the investigation transferred to the CBI by the Bombay High Court in 2002.
How significant are these arrests in the context of CBI's absconder cases?
The arrests signal a renewed CBI push to close long-pending absconder cases, with multiple fugitives netted within weeks. However, the decades-long gaps between the original offences and arrests highlight structural delays in India's financial-fraud enforcement and judicial process.
