Two prominent members of the legal fraternity were arrested yesterday by two different investigative agencies. The Enforcement Directorate arrested Gautam Khaitan, Managing Partner of law firm OP Khaitan & Co. for interrogating him in the 3,600 crore AgustaWestland Chopper Deal. In Odisha, the state’s former Advocate General, Ashok Mohanty was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to a multi crore chit fund scam.

Khaitan, who was a Director of the accused company, was arrested under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after searches were conducted at two of his premises in Delhi, reports ToI. The report also states that the agency seized jewellery worth Rs. 1 crore from his premises and also impounded some important financial documents.

The investigation is in relation to kickbacks in the chopper deal for which an FIR was registered earlier this year against Khaitan, former IAF Chief SP Tyagi and nineteen other people.

Ashok Mohanty, former Advocate General of Odisha, was arrested from his residence at Cuttack in connection with a multi crore chit fund scam.

According to The Indian Express, Mohanty had bought a house in Cuttack from Pradeep Sethy, Chairman of the Artha Tatwa group for Rs. 1.01 crore but he was unable to provide the payment details of the transaction. Interestingly, Sethy himself had purchased the house from Justice Laxmikanta Mohapatra, a Odisha High Court judge who is currently serving as the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.