The Crime Branch on Wednesday took over the investigation of the sensational Nayagarh cameraman Manas Swain murder case from the Bhadrak police.
Crime Branch ADG Sanjeev Panda said the probe into the case has been handed over to the Crime Branch on the directions of DGP Sunil Bansal.
The decision was taken in view of the gravity of the case and involvement of multiple districts, said the Odisha Police in a tweet.
The Crime Branch immediately formed two teams to probe the case. DSP KalpanaSahu would lead the investigating teams. If need arises, the teams would widen its probe to outside Odisha. The investigating agency has information that prime accused Sarmistha Rout has managed to escape to outside the State.
Sources said police teams would be sent outside Odisha to track Sarmistha, the owner of Bhubaneswar-based web channel ‘Sampoorna,’ where Manas was engaged as a cameraman.
In another development in the case, the Bhadrak police seized Sarmistha’s car, which was allegedly used for kidnapping Manas and later disposal of his body after he was killed at Sarmistha’sDayal Ashram on the outskirts of Sundarpada in Bhubaneswar.
The four-wheeler was found parked at the basement of Sky Tower apartment under the Airfield police station here. Cops have recovered some documents from the car after breaking its rear window glass.
“Manas was kidnapped in Sarmistha’s car. After his murder, the body was taken to Nayagarh in the vehicle and disposed of. As many as five persons, Sarmistha, JhunaBhoi, VivekNayak, RanjanNayak and BhagyadharNayak, were present in the car when the body was being taken for disposal,” said an official of the Matto police outpost (Bhadrak district).
A security guard of the apartment said the then Information and Public Relations Director (Technical) NiranjanSethi used to visit Sarmistha’s house in the apartment frequently. Sarmistha had introduced Niranjan as chairman of her organisation. She had instructed not to enter Sethi’s name in the visitors’ register, the security guard added.
Meanwhile, police also brought Sarmistha’s brother Parameswar Rout to Chandbali from Vijayawada, where he had been nabbed. Parameswar is said to be the one who helped Sarmistha escape the police dragnet after the murder came to light.
Police have so far arrested six persons NiranjanSethi, his associate RanjanNayak, BhagyadharNayak, VivekNayak, Krushna Chandra Nayak and Parameswar.
Earlier on Tuesday, family members of Manas made some explosive claims alleging the complicity of Ministers Pratap Jena and Dibya Shankar Mishra in the murder case.
Demanding immediate arrest of all the accused, Manas' wife also threatened to kill herself in front of the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik if denied justice.