Odisha Stevedores limited (OSl) managing director Mahimananda (Mahima) Mishra and the firm’s executive director Basant Kumar Bal, both accused in the murder of Seaways Shipping and logistics Private limited (SSPl) general manager Mahendra Swain, were on Tuesday produced before the Kujang JMFC Court in Jagatsinghpur district amid tight security and later sent to jail.
While police sought a five-day remand of both the accused, the latter filed bail petitions in the court. Rejecting the bail pleas, the court granted a four-day remand of the accused from Thursday and sent them to the Samagol jail near Kujang.
A six-member police team had brought Mishra and Bal to Bhubaneswar from Bangkok via Kolkata on Monday and later taken them to Paradip.
Mishra and Bal had managed to escape to Nepal through the open border where no passport and visa are needed and then went to Bangkok in Thailand through tourist visas where they were finally detained as the Odisha police were tracking them through appropriate agencies.
The Kujang JMFC Court had issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against Mishra and Bal in connection with the murder of Swain.
Seven persons have been arrested by the police in connection with Swain’s murder so far. They are Rakesh Choubey, Riyasat Hussain alias Riyaz, Mohammad Shamim, Manoj Gochhayat, Shiba, Arindam alias Bapi Sarkhel and Sushant Sethy.
According to the police, Rakesh Choubey had received `12 lakh cash in advance from the OSl in September 2016 to execute Swain. Choubey through his associates allegedly got Swain killed on October 26.