Lady blackmailer Archana Nag case: BJP launches 24-hour protest seeking fair investigation

The State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday launched a 24-hour dharna outside the office of Commissionerate Police demanding an impartial probe into the involvement of ministers and MLAs in lady blackmailer Archana Nag’s case. 

Apart from the investigation in the lady blackmailer’s case, the saffron party workers also sought interrogation of School and Mass Education Minister Sameer Ranjan Dash for his alleged involvement in Biju Janata Dal Zila Parishad member Dharmendra Sahu’s death case.  

The BJP activists, meanwhile, threatened to gherao Naveen Niwas (official residence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik) if police fail to initiate an investigation against the ‘tainted’ ministers in both cases in the next 48 hours.

BJP leader Prithiviraj Harichandan said, “Investigation in both cases has lost its direction thanks to the nexus between police and ruling party leaders. Dharmendra Sahoo’s case is a clear instance of pre-planned murder. Unfortunately, School and Mass Education Minister is involved in it and much evidence in this regard is doing the rounds now. Police have literally failed to ascertain his role behind the plot. All we want police to do is an unbiased investigation in both cases.”

He continued: “Das should be brought under the purview of investigation and interrogated for his alleged involvement in Dharmendra Sahoo’s death case. Police should investigate financial transactions held between the minister and Dharmendra. Police should also unravel the mystery behind the woman kingpin in Dharmendra’s case. Police should bring the names of MLAs and ministers to the fore in Archana’s case.”

On the other hand, it is learnt that both the accused couple involved in sextortion have been lodged in Jharpada jail. As per the jail manual, the husband-wife can meet each other once a week on Sunday in the presence of women warder and men warder.