By Our Correspondent
BHADRAK/BHUBANESWAR: Call it Sanjib Panda, read CID-CB Boss and CS Meena, SP Bhadrak did it and finally fugitive murder accused woman Journalist, Sarmistha Rout, hails from Kendrapara’s Aul, got married in Jajpur, on Monday arrested by a joint team of Bhadrak Police and Crime Branch from Nalanga area of Bhadrak district.
“The duo was nabbed by the joint team of Bhadark police and Crime Branch. They will be produced in the JMFC court, Chandbali, later in the day,” ADG CID-CB Sanjeeb Panda informed.
Both the accused persons will be produced before the JMFC court in Chandbali and Sarmistha and her associate Jhuna Bhoi will be taken on remand.The Crime Branch, will pray before the court seeking remand of Sarmistha and Jhuna Bhoi along with five more accused persons arrested earlier for a period of 10 days for interrogation.
Sarmistha Rout, an owner of a Bhubaneswar-based web channel ‘Sampurna’, was on run along with her associate Jhuna Bhoi after police initiated probe into the murder of Manas Swain.Earlier, Police had arrested five accused persons including Sarmistha’s brother Parameswar Rout in connection with the murder case.
Earlier, the Crime Branch on Sunday sealed the ‘Dayal Ashram’ old age home at Sundarpada here, which was run fugitive Rout. A team of Crime Branch officers arrived at the spot along with a forensic team to carry out investigation.
Manas’ associate said the memory card contained a short film which was shot in Puri. The film featured former OIS officer Niranjan Sethi and a couple of other actors taking bath in sea near Puri beach, he said.But despite multiple raids on the suspected hideouts of prime accused Sarmistha Rout, the agency was yet to ascertain her whereabouts. Sources said as she is not using mobile phone not to give away her location, police are facing difficulty in tracking her.
Police have so far arrested 8 persons– Niranjan Sethi former Technical Director of Odisha Informations and Public Relations Department, his associate Ranjan Nayak, Bhagyadhar Nayak, Vivek Nayak, Krushna Chandra Nayak and Sarmistha’s brother Parameswar Rout– in this case.
Manas Swain, a resident of Godipokhari village in Ranpur area of Nayagarh district, was working as a cameraman for a Bhubaneswar-based web portal ‘Sampoorna’ run by Sarmistha Rout. Manas was assaulted and murdered at the old age home on the night of February 7 while the body was buried in Nayagarh district. Police had exhumed Swain’s body near Badhipatna hills in Rajsunakhala area of the district on March 12.
