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The SDJM court on Friday reserved the order on the bail plea filed by Archana Nag, the lady blackmailer who has been accused of honey-trapping bigwigs including politicians, producers, directors, businessmen and government officials and extracting crores or rupees.
The SDJM court, Bhubaneswar reserved the order after hearing arguments from the counsel appearing for the accused as well as the prosecution.
Archana’s lawyer argued that all the allegations and cases registered against his client are baseless and prayed the court to release her on bail. He also sought the case diary in the case.
However, the prosecution claimed that Archana was booked under 16 IPC Sections including 370, 328 and IT Act 66(E) and 67. So, it would be risky to release her on bail as she would influence the investigation process, the prosecution lawyer argued.
After hearing both sides, the court has reserved the bail orders.
“She has been booked under various sections that is not required in her case. We have identified the grounds on which she has been falsely fabricated. We have present everything before the court and it will decide very soon,” Debasis Mahapatra, Archana’s lawyer.
On the other hand, government lawyer A. Chand said, “She has been booked under IPC 370, 328 and other Sections. These are serious offences.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition including BJP and Congress alleged the involvement of BJD ministers in shielding the lady blackmailer and being involved in the heinous crime. They questioned the police for not taking Archana on remand and not questioning her even after days of her arrest.
The BJP has demanded CBI and ED enquiry into the case. A member of Bharatiya Vikash Parishad knocked on the door of Orissa HC demanding an ED probe into the whole case.
Complainant Subrat Kumar Das said, “We are demanding ED probe because we suspect over 80 MLAs and ministers of the ruling BJD to be involved in this case. Even many police officers, government officials and businessmen are involved.”
Meanwhile, panic has gripped the ministers, MLAs and government officials of the ruling BJD after the exposure of Archana. Police have seized Archana’s mobile phones, hard disks and pen drives to further probe the incident.
On the other hand, Opposition claimed that the BJD was using the case to blackmail its ministers and MLAs to use them in its favour.
“MLAs and ministers who were not happy with the party are now being blackmailed by BJD. As they are involved with Archana, they are now being forced to listen to whatever order is given by the third floor. They are being used as pawns because of Archana case,” alleged senior BJP leader Pradeep Purohit.
Similarly, Congress Chief Whip Nishikant Mishra said, “All the MLAs and ministers of the ruling BJD involved in Archana case are now being blackmailed by the party. If they don’t dance according to them, they will be framed and sent to jail.”
However, BJD leader Arvind Dhali said, “There is no truth or false known about the case yet. Time will say what will happen and the government will take necessary decisions in this regard.”
(Reported by Gautam Panda, Jagdish Dash, Alok Mohanty and Harihar Chand, OTV)
