Rourkela assistant Collector death case: If required, District Collector would be questioned, says SP

With mystery still shrouding the death of Rourkela assistant Collector Sushmita Minj, Rourkela SP Mitrabhanu Mohapatra on Monday said no one would be spared and if required, even the district Collector would be questioned.  

Informing about the progress of the investigation, the Rourkela SP on Monday said, “Our investigation reveals assistant Collector Sushmita Minj stayed in hotel Anurag on September 16th night and September 17th. We have collected some information from the hotel. So far, we have interrogated 15 persons and some more are to be quizzed. We are also trying to retrieve the CCTV footage captured in the cameras installed in the hotel.”

When asked about the alleged involvement of the ADM and the District Collector, he said, “The investigation is being carried out as per the law. Whoever it is, if any involvement is found in the case, everyone will be questioned.”  

When asked what had happened that night, Anurag Hotel’s manager Dinesh Ray said, “She had stayed for one day only. She had checked in on September 16 night and the next day, she checked out at 2 or 3 pm. She had not taken dinner in our hotel. She might have had her dinner somewhere else. We never allow anyone to meet our guests at night. So, none had met her on that night.”

Notably, the Assistant Collector’s body was found under mysterious circumstances in the pond of the Centurion Park under Plant Site Police limits in Rourkela on September 19 evening.