In a fresh development in the sensational Mamita Meher murder case, the slain lady teacher’s father, Suchandra Meher recorded his statement under Section 164 CrPC before a magistrate, on Saturday.
It is pertinent to mention here that Suchandra’s statement has been in the spotlight since the lady teacher went missing. After her body parts were exhumed from an under construction stadium at Mahaling in Kalahandi district, Suchandra had told media persons that Gobinda Sahu and Minister of State for Home Dibyashankar Mishra were involved in the murder.
What necessitated Suchandra’s statement to be recorded under Section 164 CrPC was on account of the fact that he had since been changing his words, prompting the Opposition parties to allege that the murdered lady teacher’s father was under duress.
However, the recording of Suchandra’s statement under the special provision has generated curiosity about the contents he divulged before the magistrate and if at all it was recorded properly.
Notably, Mamita Meher-- of Jharni village under Turekela block in Bolangir district—who worked as a teacher at Sunshine English Medium School at Mahaling, went missing on October 8. On the basis of her family members’ complaint, the police had detained Gobinda Sahu. He was kept at Titlagarh police barrack. Taking all by surprise, he had escaped from the police custody on October 17.
On October 19, the missing teacher’s body parts were found buried in an under construction stadium at Mahaling. Subsequently, the Bolangir police had announced a cash award of Rs 1,00,000 for the person who would share information about Gobinda’s whereabouts. Later on the day, he was arrested from a sugarcane field at Budhipadar village under Bangomunda block in Bolangir district.
While Gobinda is currently behind the bars, the Bharaitya Janata Party has been staging protests and bandhs across the State demanding Minister of State for Home Dibyashankar Mishra’s scalp for his alleged involvement in the murder.