The Crime Branch (CB) on Thursday claimed to have recovered some articles, which were used in disposal of the body of cameraman Manas Swain, from near the Chandikhole area based on the disclosures made by of one of his alleged assassins, Ranjan Nayak alias Raj.
The CB said Ranjan has confessed to have committed the murder and also the involvement of prime accused Sarmista Rout and former Odisha Information Service (OIS) officer Niranjan Sethi in the crime.
CB sources said during interrogation, Ranjan confessed to have kidnapped Manas from Palaspur under Chandbali police station in Bhadrak district. The kidnapping was done with help of the mastermind, Sarmista and her associates Jhuna Bhoi, Bhagyadhar Nayak and Nilu alias Bibek. Sarmishta’s car was used to kidnap Manas, Rajan allegedly told the investigators.
Rajan said following abduction, Manas was taken to Dayal Ashram under Airfield police station in Bhubaneswar where he was tortured and beaten to death.
“After his (Manas’) death they took the body in Sarmista’s car and dumped it at a place under Ranpur PS in Nayagarh,” the CB said.
As per the CB, after disposing the body, all the accused went to a place along the Daitari–Paradip Express Highway, about two kilometre from Chandikhole where the accused persons burnt the belongings of the deceased, including a mobile ear phone, a pair of slippers, a jute sack--which was used to wrap his body and a sari.
They then dumped a spade and other articles, used for digging a pit, near a bush. “Basing on the disclosures made by the accused Ranjan, the forensic team today seized the spade and other burnt items including ear phone, slippers of the deceased from the spot,” the CB added.