The Crime Branch on Thursday claimed to have recovered some articles belonging to deceased cameraman Manas Swain from near Chandikhole area based on the disclosures made by of one of his alleged killers, Ranjan Nayak alias Raj.
Rajan is presently in the Crime Branch (CB) custody following his arrest, recently. The CB, which is investigating the case, today said Ranjan has confessed to have committed the murder and also the involvement of prime accused Sarmista Rout and retired Odisha Information Service (OIS) officer Niranjan Sethi in the crime.
CB sources said during interrogation, Ranjan confessed to have kidnapped the Manas from Palaspur under Chandbali police limits in Bhadrak. The kidnapping was done with help of the mastermind, Sarmista Rout, and her associates Jhuna Bhoi, Bhagyadhar Nayak and Nilu alias Bibek.
Moreover, Sarmishta’s car was used to kidnap Manas, Rajan allegedly told his interrogators.
Divulging further details, Rajan allegedly said following abduction, Manas was taken to Dayal ashram under Airfield police station in Bhubaneswar where he was tortured and beaten to death. The CB in a release said that the retired OIS officer Niranjan Sethi had also assaulted the deceased at the Ashram.
“After his (Manas’) death they took the body in Sarmista Rout’s car and dumped it at a place under Ranpur police limits in Nayagarh,” the Crime Branch said.
As per the Crime Branch, after disposing the body, all the accused went to a place alongside Daitari –Paradip Express Highway,2 kilometres from Chandikhole where the accused persons brunt 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 scientific team today seized the spade and other burnt items including ear phone, slippers of the deceased from the spot,” the release added.