By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Film producer Pramod Swain appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in connection with the Honeytrap scandal involving Archana Nag and her husband Jagabandhu Chand.
Swain on his way to ED office alleged that Archana Nag blackmailed him and he will share all details to media only after ED interrogation. Swain is expected to divulge details about the link between Archana and her aide Shradhanjali Behera.
Sources said Archana used to live in Swain’s house as a tenant. Arachana had allegedly ran her network from Swain’s house for some time till she shifted her base.
The investigating team is all set to tighten the noose around 11 more high-profile people and has already prepared a second list for interrogation. The list was prepared based on the revelations and statements of Archana’s aide Shraddhanjali, Chandan and Khageswar Patra during interrogation.
Meanwhile, Archana and her husband Jagabandhu once again will be taken on remand from November 30 to unearth more mysteries surrounding the suspicious financial transactions.
Till now, ED interrogated associated Khageswar Patra, film producer Akshay Parija, Hotel Sea Pearl MD Amiyakant Das, businessman and brother of a BJD MLA Gangadhar Samal, driver Chandan and associate Shradhanjali Behera.
ED has revealed that Archana Nag and Jagabandhu had purchased luxury cars worth over Rs 5 crore in just five years. Archana bought a Range Rover Velar for a whopping 83 Lakh rupees during the COVID-19 lockdown. She also owns a Ford Endeavour car, which costs about 40 lakh rupees. Apart from these, Archana also has a Mahindra Thor of Red colour that is worth 18 lakh to 20 lakh rupees, two white Fortuner cars worth over 80 Lakh and a BMW car worth more than 50 lakh rupees. The ED officials are looking into all details of the financial transactions amounting to Rs 37 lakh between Khageswar Patra and Nag-Chand couple.
Similarly, Samal Auto India Pvt. Ltd’s MD Gangadhar Samal, who is also brother of BJD MLA from Dhenkanal Assembly Constituency Sudhir Kumar Samal, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate . Sources said that financial transaction amounting to Rs 30 lakh was made between Gangadhar Samal and Archana Nag through the former’s car showroom.
Businessman and Hotel Sea Pearl MD Amiyakant Das and Odia film producer Akshaya Parija had appeared before Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the recent past.
Das, had deposited Rs 11 lakh in the bank account of Archana and her husband Jagabandhu in 2021-22. After interrogation, Das admitted before media to have given over Rs 7 lakhs to Archana in two installments for the treatment of her husband after stepping out of the ED office.
Arachana and her husband , Jagabandhu were booked under Sections 341, 328, 324, 354 – C, 370, 386/387/388, 389, 419/420, 465, 506, 120 – B of IPC and Section 66 -E, 67 of IT Act and presently lodged at Jharpada Special Jail.
