Owner of niankhunta .com Pradip Pandey and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) State president Itish Pradhan appeared at the Capital police station here on Tuesday in connection with the contentious sex video uploaded in the website allegedly featuring city Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena and the mysterious death of engineering student Asutosh Mohanty alias Rishi.
Pandey, who deposed before the police, was asked to reappear on December 27. He was provided with a copy of the FIR which has been lodged by Mayor Jena against him and Pradhan at the police station.
“We had not mentioned the name of any person in the video. We had only asked viewers to identify the person in the video,” Pandey said.
“The murder of Rishi has links with the video. Rishi’s friends and girlfriend should be interrogated regarding the incident. Rishi’s death was unnatural. The video is two years old and there is proof that Rishi had kept the video,” he said, referring to his deposition before the police.
Student Congress State president Pradhan arrived at the police station after being discharged from the Capital Hospital where he had been admitted due to injuries which he sustained earlier in the day during a scuffle between Congress activists and policemen at Rajmahal Square.
He was brought to the police station in an ambulance and taken inside on a stretcher. However, his statement was not recorded as the police let him go on health ground. He would again appear before police after his recovery, sources said.
In another development, in the wake of rumours that the Commissionerate police are trying to hush up the issue against the Mayor, Commissioner of Police YB Khurania said, “The police are investigating into the incidents. The truth will be definitely unravelled. Give us some time. There is absolutely no pressure on us.”