In a major breakthrough in the sensational Anjana Mishra gang-rape case, Odisha police with the help of their Maharashtra counterparts have nabbed prime accused Vivekananda alias Biban Biswal, who had been absconding for the last 22 years, from Maharashtra.

The case of gang-rape on January 9, 1999 midnight had unleashed State-wide protests leading to resignation of JB Patnaik as the Congress Chief Minister about a week after the incident.The alleged sexual assault on Anjana Mishra, estranged wife of an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, by the then Advocate General Indrajit Roy, a close associate of JB Patnaik, had added to the problems of the beleaguered Patnaik Government.

Briefing mediapersons, Twin City Commissioner of Police Sudhanshu Sarangi here on Monday said Biban had changed his name to Jalandhar Swain and was staying in Aamby Valley in Lonavala near Mumbai. He was working as a plumber there.

The CP informed, “He had mentioned Naranpur (Cuttack) in his permanent address. When we initiated an inquiry, we found out that no such person belongs to Naranpur. He had a permanent job, Aadhaar card and bank account there. But he was in contact with his family members and had asked his family to get a death certificate in his name to avoid police detention in future.” He further informed that an ‘Operation Silent Viper’ had been launched three months ago with a team of three police personnel, including Cuttack DCP Prateek Singh.

On February 19, a special team led by Badambadi police station IIC Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra left for Mumbai to nab the accused. “Odisha police with the help of Maharashtra counterparts launched operation ‘Aamby Valley’.

The cops got to know that a person named Swain works in Aamby Valley as a mechanic and stays in a staff quarters two and a half km away. Seeing police, the accused tried to escape.